The Final 12 at the U.S. Open
- Thread starter PoolBum
- Start date
I know a few will suggest that Mike is having his coming out party. This is simply not the case.
Mike has had a top 10 in each of the last three Derby City 9-ball events.
This is his third straight top 10 in the US Open 9-ball and he has been the dominant player on the Joss tour for two years, a tour featuring not only Mike but Jayson Shaw, Jeremy Sossei, and Earl Strickland and Tom D'Alfonso, all of whom cashed in this US Open.
To be honest, Mike has been playing like this all year. No idea what tomorrow will bring against the great Orcullo, but Mike is among the most elite in the world right now. On this forum, he rarely get his due as a competitor, but I'm hoping that will change.
And, as JAM always says, USA all the way. We've got two of the final four while Asia and Europe have just one each. Great week for American pool.
Mike has had a top 10 in each of the last three Derby City 9-ball events.
This is his third straight top 10 in the US Open 9-ball and he has been the dominant player on the Joss tour for two years, a tour featuring not only Mike but Jayson Shaw, Jeremy Sossei, and Earl Strickland and Tom D'Alfonso, all of whom cashed in this US Open.
To be honest, Mike has been playing like this all year. No idea what tomorrow will bring against the great Orcullo, but Mike is among the most elite in the world right now. On this forum, he rarely get his due as a competitor, but I'm hoping that will change.
And, as JAM always says, USA all the way. We've got two of the final four while Asia and Europe have just one each. Great week for American pool.
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Actually I see many matches follow that script
i.e. the three thirds scripts
1st third Player A runs to big lead
2nd third Player B catches up to tie the score
3rd third Player A and Player B trade racks, merry go round and climax in a one rack hill hill decider
And by and large Player A wins the decider:thumbup:
Well the final four...
Two Americans, a filipino and a European....
Funny that the Americans that are commonly lauded as being numbers 1 and 2 for America are the two Americans in the final four...
Actually, I guess that should be expected if there are two Americans in the final four that they would be the people lauded as being the two best American players...:thumbup:
Jaden
Two Americans, a filipino and a European....
Funny that the Americans that are commonly lauded as being numbers 1 and 2 for America are the two Americans in the final four...
Actually, I guess that should be expected if there are two Americans in the final four that they would be the people lauded as being the two best American players...:thumbup:
Jaden
Nobody has to sell Deshane to me anymore with his accomplishments. He fights hard and really played solid to close it out. That last run out under the heat was super impressive!! His cut break is one of the most consistent I've seen. He could of easily let that match slip away, but he decided to slam the door at the end...That dude is for real...He will need a little more gas in the tank for tomorrow though, but if he plays like that, he should do well...
Actually I see many matches follow that script
i.e. the three thirds scripts
1st third Player A runs to big lead
2nd third Player B catches up to tie the score
3rd third Player A and Player B trade racks, merry go round and climax in a one rack hill hill decider
:thumbup:
That is true. But it can be very tragic at such a late time in the event with so much on the line. 2 wins from the title. Not to mention the money difference.
Mike has been showing maturity all year.
I'll take Shane over the field now.
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As a Greek, Nikos Ekonomopoulos has very pleasantly surprised me with his performance here. He thrashed Denis Grabe who had beaten him comprehensively in the Slovenian leg of the Euro Tour, and then continued undefeated after passing through players of the calibre of Deuel, Kiamco and Bustamante.
Now, I know he is going to be on the back foot against Shane van Boening, but he stands a very healthy chance for going through to the final. We can only hope.
By the way, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think him being the last European standing and Feijen being WPA number one has earned him a place in the Mosconi Cup, right?
Now, I know he is going to be on the back foot against Shane van Boening, but he stands a very healthy chance for going through to the final. We can only hope.
By the way, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think him being the last European standing and Feijen being WPA number one has earned him a place in the Mosconi Cup, right?
Your horse is winning the race so far. I know this is making many folks who follow Mike's pool career quite happy. Best of rolls to him today. :smile:
What was our bet again? I forgot.:smile:
Mike is not my horse, he's just a player from the Northeast that I get to watch often and that's why I'm so impressed with, and knowledgeable about, his play. He's been in dead punch for about two years now and the guys who follow the Joss Tour know it well. Some of my motivation is the same as yours ---- just wanting to see a few of our young American players beating the stars of the world and being counted among them by doing so.
I really do think, though, that the Joss Tour stars (Dechaine, Shaw, Sossei, Strickland, D'Alofonso), all of whom cashed in the roughest ever field at the US Open, don't, as a group get their due. The guys who win on the Joss tour are so ready for the big events, and I think that's why we've seen such memorable performances by the two dominant players on that tour, Dechaine and Shaw, at Turning Stone and now the US Open. The Joss tour really is something special and has been a sustainable regional tour for a long time now, and I can't say enough good things about the job Mike Zuglan has done to keep his tour so solid.
As for our bet, I believe we broke even. The Mike/Sky matchup never did happen. Perhaps it will happen soon. I know we'll both enjoy it when it does.
I think the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour is the longest-running regional pool tour in the United States. I've lost count how many years they've been around, but I'd venture to guess it's around 18 years.
One thing about it, Mike Zuglan is fair and keeps pool alive and well in the Northeast. Thank goodness for him and Dan of Joss Cues. Dana Bufalo, who pitches in for admin duties, also is fantastic.
If you follow the Joss Tour, I hope to meet you next year. We're heading up that way.
I think the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour is the longest-running regional pool tour in the United States. I've lost count how many years they've been around, but I'd venture to guess it's around 18 years.
One thing about it, Mike Zuglan is fair and keeps pool alive and well in the Northeast. Thank goodness for him and Dan of Joss Cues. Dana Bufalo, who pitches in for admin duties, also is fantastic.
If you follow the Joss Tour, I hope to meet you next year. We're heading up that way.
There is a Joss event every October....that would be a cool one for you folks to be at (for me!)
I really, really enjoyed driving through Maine, all those white birch trees. I bought a lot of souvineers with moose on them. Lots of beaches too. It is really a beautiful state.
It would be so cool to meet you in person.
I have fond memories of Joss Tour in Maine. It was quite difficult to get Keith out of the pool room in Maine, but I finally got him to go out to dinner with me. We had lobster. Oh, my! Yummie! ::grin-square:
I think the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour is the longest-running regional pool tour in the United States. I've lost count how many years they've been around, but I'd venture to guess it's around 18 years.
One thing about it, Mike Zuglan is fair and keeps pool alive and well in the Northeast. Thank goodness for him and Dan of Joss Cues. Dana Bufalo, who pitches in for admin duties, also is fantastic.
If you follow the Joss Tour, I hope to meet you next year. We're heading up that way.
I'm looking forward to it, JAM, for out meeting has been a long time coming. Next really prestigious Joss tour event will be the Ocean State Championships in Providence, RI on 11/14-15. I'll be there.
FYI, I don't think that Joss is as old as some of the women's regional tours like the Northeast Women's Tour (JP NEWT).
I was going to answer that.
But when I saw that you only post once a year
...I told myself "Naaahhh. He 'aint gonna read this".
I really went out on a limb on this one.
Told YA LOL
Congrats to a Great Great Player !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry a little premature I thought the race was to 11