Friday December 10th, 2021 -- With this continuing billiards coverage of the Mosconi Cup, we bring you Chris Reinhold from his Facebook post just three hours ago -- his own words:
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"No excuses here from me. I’m proud that even though we didn’t win, we fought really hard for every point. I’m disappointed with my performance and could have gotten a few really big points for the team. I couldn’t sleep at all last night because it was weighing heavy on me the fact that I couldn’t do anything but sit in my chair and cheer on the team after losing back to back points for them. The flag on the back of my jersey means a lot to me. The name on the back of my jersey means a lot to me. And the USA fans for coming all the way over here in this covid climate to support and cheer us on especially. 🇺🇸
I’ve been getting a lot of hate comments and rightfully so. It’s the position you are put in when you accept the job offer of representing your country in the Mosconi Cup. Everyone gets critiqued at their job as I am in mine. I prepared and prepared for this event and I thought I was ready. The crowd wasn’t that big of a factor for me in all honesty. I loved it and felt comfortable.. sometimes you just have those moments that don’t go the way you’d like them to. Not only in pool but in life as well.
It’s time to evolve as a person but especially as a player. I need to get back with getting in the grease (gambling, action etc) constantly getting in games and playing all the time. It’s when I was getting better and better. This past few years I’ve mainly focused on tournaments only and I’ve gotten soft, and a little weak mentally. Time for me to find another gear. Because this one ain’t cutting it at this high of a level. Sure i can win semi pro tournaments and a few low level pro tournaments. Maybe cash high in a few elite level pro tournaments. But it won’t cut it at the elite level.
I owe it to myself to get there. And I for damn sure owe it to that flag on the back of my jersey as well.
'During your transformation, you might feel like everything is falling apart, but in reality everything is coming together. You’re being pushed to evolve and get out of your comfort zone so you can live and experience your true greatness. Welcome, change.'
Thank you to my sponsors for everything and for their support throughout the year. It’s been a tough one for me. But I’ve realized a lot about what I have to do moving forward.
🥇 Predator Cues 🇺🇸
🥇 Salotto 🇺🇸
🥇 Taom Billiards 🇺🇸
🥇 Stixx and Stones Billiards 🇺🇸
🥇 Fort Worth Billiards 🇺🇸
🥇 On The Wire Creative Media 🇺🇸" -- Reinhold Said.
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Well said Chris.
And this reporter was one of the detractors of team USA, frustrated that Earl "The Pearl" Strickland wasn't in the Cup -- amidst a COVID-19 scare just a day or two prior to the event. (Billiards in the age of face masks and pandemics... uncertain times. But we all stand strong together; the show must go on.).
Early on I said they should cancel the Cup because the Pearl couldn't be on the team, but you have to understand, Strickland is my favorite player, and I still lament him not having one more shot at billiards glory (perhaps next year…). The Cup must go on, and really I personally think that team USA gave it a run, ending day 2 up 5-4, but unfortunately falling day 3 5-0 -- going in down 9-5 the final day, backs against the wall. Jeremy Jones went 4-4 in that final match against Alcaide, then the fabled cue ball cleaning as time ran out -- foul hill-hill, loss on a mental error by Jones. Disheartening. So instead of a fighting chance and 8-6 going into day four...the dismal 9-5, 5-0 for the day beat down, instead of the 4-1 (8-6) chance.
It just seems like team USA couldn't get the rolls, even before the event, losing Strickland days before-- a hard hit for the team to take in my opinion...seems like it would mess with the team's group psyche. And Reinhold just happened to miss a shot he'd probably make ten out of ten if he set it up again (happens to the best of them…). All in all, if team USA had just a few more rolls go their way, they may have actually won the event, which is to say, team USA still had a chance to win despite everything. Woodward played very well, as did Jones, and Styer came through at points.
Now I realize I was being unreasonable, diminishing Styer and Reinhold, because those guys were out there giving it all they had, and Reinhold will be back next year I bet to show me and all the other skeptics that he has returned to represent! Fingers crossed.
I really want team USA to do well, but we didn't have many options this year for whatever reason, and these guys gave us an 11-6 loss, which isn't that bad considering Jones had to step in at the last minute.
Jones had moments of greatness out there representing USA on the table, almost put the beat down on Alcaide, had the ball cleaned, not realizing he had no extension, running out of time, subsequently losing the match. That was a tough mental error. But he was stoic throughout the event, exhibiting a 'Cool-Hand Luke' type disposition JJ (double J).
It would be Skyler Woodward to win the final point 6 for team USA against Jayson Shaw with a 9 ball combination -- Woodward that gave team USA that spark it needed, but we just didn't get the rolls. Sometimes pool is like that.
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