Apologies if people don't think this is technically a sport. I just wondered if anyone else here is following this, and whether there is any mileage in a conversation?
I watched a bit last night of the Doherty vs Liang match (btw. how many Chinese snooker pros are there already?! the game must have exploded like crazy there in the alst couple years), but it was pretty one-sided so I turned it off again after a few frames. I used to watch snooker more frequently in the past, but only very rarely this season, so I don't really know what's going on, who's strong, etc.
Most of the matches are pretty straightforward in the early stages. It's the later round that get more exciting.
Yeah, I usually skip most of the first week, I prefer the longer matches anyway. I really miss Jimmy White though, his failure to qualify these days seriously affects how much I want to watch the game. The guy was a legend, one of the best spin makers in the game. I've been searching Youtube for an amazing shot he made to pot a red and then spin back in a complete semicircle to land behind the yellow that was sat behind the red he just potted, but I can't find it. You'll have to take my word for it that it was amazing
Hearing people wax lyrical about Jimmy White makes me long for the days when Alex Higgins was at his best.
I know. Is it just me, or are today's players just not the characters they used to be? I suppose there's so much money and prestige involved now they have to be that much more professional. Ronnie gets up to some tricks but the public just don't have the patience for it they used to, and he often just comes across as an arrogant idiot rather than an eccentric genius a la Higgins. In reality though, there isn't a lot to separate their behaviour. I miss the days when they were drinking pints of bitter and smoking fags in between shots
Higgins was one of the saddest people I ever met. He sat on a table (yes, on it, not at it) signing autographs and not a single person spoke to him till I did. He said he didn't mind signing autographs as it kept him from drinking... Trouble with these days is that sports people get out of hand when they're characters, and the press turn nasty.
Oh, that is sad yes. Really though, with the ridiculous amounts of drinking, and throat cancer on top of that it's a miracle he is alive at all. Mind you, I think one could probably call headbutting an official at a world championship "getting out of hand". I can't remember much worse incidents than that in the game. Andy Hicks is the resident professional at my club, i've met him a few times, but never played him, that would be truly pointless. He is not a high ranked player, but he made it to the semis of the British Open and second round of the world championship in 2006 where he distinguished himself by starting a fight with Quentin Hann, and walking out on Ronnie O'Sullivan while he was in the middle of a shot. The press crucified O'Sullivan instead though, he was their favourite whipping boy that year.
Well, it's starting to get interesting now. O'Sullivan has a fight on his hands. Loved the moment when Liang fluked a red and didn't even notice he'd done it!!
Ali Carter maximum just now, amazing, Ronnie is always good for a 147 of course, but I totally didn't expect Carter to make one here. I don't think I've ever seen two within 24 hours. And it's nice to see Stephen Hendry do well again for a change, on his way to the semi finals.