The final episode brings Justin Bergman’s story onto pool’s biggest stage. Here the focus turns fully to the Mosconi Cup years: the pressure, the personalities, the preparation, the heartbreak, the joy, and the chaos that can only happen when elite pool collides with a made-for-TV team event. Justin talks about the differences between his various Mosconi experiences, including the early years in Blackpool and the later appearance on a winning American side in Las Vegas. He reflects on what it meant to finally be part of a U.S. team that beat Europe, and why that experience remains one of the great highlights of his career.

There are also wonderful behind-the-scenes stories throughout. Mark Wilson recalls the discipline he tried to impose on the American side, including fines for lateness, the challenge of preparing players in a city as distracting as Las Vegas, and the famous story of Justin disappearing with the walk-on girls instead of making practice on time. It is funny, revealing, and very human — a perfect example of how even a world-class event is shaped by personality as much as pressure. Justin also discusses players who seem built for that arena, the luck required in short races, and the matches that still stay with him.

The episode closes by looking forward as much as back. Justin talks about wanting another shot, about adjusting his schedule to make a realistic run at team consideration again, and about the fact that some ambitions never fully leave a player. It is an ideal ending: reflective, entertaining, and full of unfinished business.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

Support the show

Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

In Part 3, Justin Bergman opens up about something that has defined his entire career: he has never wanted to live like everybody else. Justin talks candidly about why pool appealed to him not just as a game, but as a way of life — a life outside the routines, schedules, and expectations that so many people accept without question. That independent streak helps explain both the brilliance of his career and the unusual path he chose through it. Rather than chase every tournament on the calendar, Justin reflects on why he preferred being home, why nonstop travel wore on him, and why he never felt compelled to follow the same script as other top professionals.

This section also gets into the realities of matching up at a high level: table conditions, negotiations, equipment, and the fine margins that matter when the opponent is world class. From there the conversation turns to one of the most important chapters in Justin’s career: the Mosconi Cup. He describes getting the call from U.S. captain Mark Wilson, the pressure both men felt because of their close relationship, and the need to prove that the selection was earned on merit. Mark offers his side as well, explaining why he believed Justin belonged there and why the atmosphere of the event is unlike anything most players have ever experienced.

More than anything, this episode is about identity. It shows Justin as an artist, a nonconformist, and a player who has always trusted his own instincts over conventional wisdom. For listeners who have ever wondered why Justin Bergman’s career looks different from others with similar ability, this is the episode that answers it.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

Support the show

Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

Part 2 follows Justin Bergman from gifted young player to feared road man, and it is packed with the kind of stories pool fans love. Justin talks about the pros and great players who passed through his orbit while he was still a kid, including Efren Reyes and other international stars who came through Mark Wilson’s room. He explains the way he really learned to practice — not through endless drills, but by throwing out all 15 balls and playing rotation, a method he still trusts today. The conversation also opens into a broader appreciation of cue-sport genius, with great discussion about Efren’s astonishing versatility and why certain players seem to see the game on a different level.

From there, the episode moves into the action side of Justin’s life. He recalls gambling as a teenager, keeping a ledger of players and places, flying to California for weekend scores, and taking a wild Reno road trip that turned into a marathon money match, near-disaster winter travel, and a four-year relationship that began in Utah. It is a vivid portrait of a disappearing pool culture — one built on backers, spot books, action rooms, and the constant search for the next game. Justin and Mark also talk about one pocket, the St. Louis gambling scene, and the late Mark O’Brien’s role in helping Justin develop into a more complete player.

The episode closes on Justin’s early competitive breakthroughs, including BEF Junior National success and overseas trips representing the United States, where he first saw just how high the international standard really was. It is a terrific chapter on education by experience, and on how talent becomes toughness.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

Support the show

Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”