2019 World Snooker Championship (Mod Note Post One)

zuutroy · 10-05-2019 10:56am

mickdw wrote: »

Look at the taper on the slate on the smaller looking one.

Yea, the zoomed in one is actually the 'smaller' one!

Hotblack Desiato · 10-05-2019 4:42pm

Impossible to prove any of this without a time machine really.

But IIRC there were a few televised tournaments in the mid 80s (not the Worlds) with larger than standard pockets, and Kirk Stevens (I think) got a 147 on one which was not officially recognised because of the pockets.

Memories are hazy on this so open to correction!

fryup · 10-05-2019 9:50pm

^^^^^^^^^^^^

bbc's pot black?

AllForIt · 11-05-2019 1:36pm

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Impossible to prove any of this without a time machine really.

But IIRC there were a few televised tournaments in the mid 80s (not the Worlds) with larger than standard pockets, and Kirk Stevens (I think) got a 147 on one which was not officially recognised because of the pockets.

Memories are hazy on this so open to correction!

Memory works. I'm sure anyone who watched in the 90's remembers that if a ball hit the cush first down the side or bottom rails (because that's where the TV cameras were well positioned for a perfect view) the ball would not drop. You knew it was missed before the ball stopped rolling. Nowadays you see the red hitting the cush first and still going in way too often. It's easy to see how this change makes century breaks totals higher as it's those reds near the cushion that are most difficult to pot.

champchamp · 11-05-2019 1:44pm

AllForIt wrote: »

Memory works. I'm sure anyone who watched in the 90's remembers that if a ball hit the cush first down the side or bottom rails (because that's where the TV cameras were well positioned for a perfect view) the ball would not drop. You knew it was missed before the ball stopped rolling. Nowadays you see the red hitting the cush first and still going in way too often. It's easy to see how this change makes century breaks totals higher as it's those reds near the cushion that are most difficult to pot.

100%. Once the ball touched the cushion first it would never drop. We used to laugh at 9 ball pool because the ball could hit the cushion 3 or 4 inches before the pocket and still drop. This year's worlds was diminished for me because of this, there were reds hitting the cushion an inch or two before the pocket and still somehow dropping. It's a joke.

zuutroy · 11-05-2019 1:52pm

I was watching a bit of old school snooker last night and the only comparable shot I came across was this one (Time not embedding right, go to 25:50). I have a feeling it would've dropped this year

Hotblack Desiato · 11-05-2019 2:00pm

zuutroy wrote: »

I have a feeling it would've dropped this year

Don't think it would have dropped this year at that pace.

volono · 15-05-2019 10:49pm

don't think it would have dropped either as he didn't strike it properly but back then you could be there all afternoon and you wouldn't of potted it, nowadays you'd have a chance. Any remember Binghams brown was it? this year on the 147 attempt, alot more difficult and nearly dropped. There's no doubt in my mind the cut of the pockets have gotten slightly easier like others have said. Some of the balls that managed to drop this year, the last number of years actually were ridiculous . It has been consciously done by Barry Hearn to make it more visually entertaining of course imo. Another century etc., what ruins it for me is that the top players are all extremely good amongst them and they don't miss much anyway. Its the long shots to get them in that have become that bit easier

zuutroy · 23-05-2019 1:19pm

I see Ronnie in the Telegraph today saying he won't play any Triple Crowns next year :rolleyes:

Nice way for him to get some column inches with his new book out. Interesting interview nonetheless. He alludes to having 'done something' with a mate a few days before his WC defeat but wouldn't expand.

You have to register to read it:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/snooker/2019/05/23/exclusive-ronnie-osullivan-interview-dont-want-play-world-championship/

spurshero · 23-05-2019 2:02pm

zuutroy wrote: »

I see Ronnie in the Telegraph today saying he won't play any Triple Crowns next year :rolleyes:

Nice way for him to get some column inches with his new book out. Interesting interview nonetheless. He alludes to having 'done something' with a mate a few days before his WC defeat but wouldn't expand.

You have to register to read it:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/snooker/2019/05/23/exclusive-ronnie-osullivan-interview-dont-want-play-world-championship/

Used to like Ronnie . But hate the way he now goes on as if the game and fans owe him . He has made millions from the game it owes him nothing . He’s like a big child with the it’s my ball syndrome . If he dosent want to play anymore don’t but stop going on about it

Sandor Clegane · 23-05-2019 4:00pm

spurshero wrote: »

Used to like Ronnie . But hate the way he now goes on as if the game and fans owe him . He has made millions from the game it owes him nothing . He’s like a big child with the it’s my ball syndrome . If he dosent want to play anymore don’t but stop going on about it

He does want to play, this is just attention seeking.

He does this all the time. He generally sulks after a loss, comes out with stuff like not wanting to play etc... all of this is so he can hear fans say don't go and we need you and love you, the game needs you and blah blah blah...

He's been at this for years.

Joe_ Public · 23-05-2019 6:42pm

zuutroy wrote: »

I see Ronnie in the Telegraph today saying he won't play any Triple Crowns next year :rolleyes:

Nice way for him to get some column inches with his new book out. Interesting interview nonetheless. He alludes to having 'done something' with a mate a few days before his WC defeat but wouldn't expand.

You have to register to read it:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/snooker/2019/05/23/exclusive-ronnie-osullivan-interview-dont-want-play-world-championship/

Might have to go and register and have a look. Typical trouble with ronnie interviews is that he says something ridiculous like the above which is barely worth quoting and it's all any of the papers focus on and the interesting stuff he does actually talk about gets ignored or pushed to the margins. Same as when he had that lively discussion with Steve Davis at the Masters. He made a few thought-provoking comments in that interview but all they focussed on was the stupid throwaway remark he made about a breakaway tour.

This is it · 23-05-2019 6:58pm

It's the reason I dislike him so much. The greatest snooker player I've ever seen but an awful pain in the arse

zuutroy · 23-05-2019 7:20pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Might have to go and register and have a look. Typical trouble with ronnie interviews is that he says something ridiculous like the above which is barely worth quoting and it's all any of the papers focus on and the interesting stuff he does actually talk about gets ignored or pushed to the margins. Same as when he had that lively discussion with Steve Davis at the Masters. He made a few thought-provoking comments in that interview but all they focussed on was the stupid throwaway remark he made about a breakaway tour.

I can post the text if you like, but I thought that was against the rules these days?

This is it wrote: »

It's the reason I dislike him so much. The greatest snooker player I've ever seen but an awful pain in the arse

I've often thought about it. Its tough to imagine the pressure of essentially carrying a sport on your shoulders, and that's going to be amplified ten-fold for someone who's had a chaotic enough life even before his fame. With Ronnie it comes out in threats to quit, stupid accents in interviews and all the carry on. Snooker like all individual sports requires the mental resolve to reach the peak, but another type of mental reserve to deal with the adulation and expectations of being a great, and Ronnie really doesn't have that. Same thing happened to Tiger but he acted it out in different ways.
I like the bit in the interview where he differentiates himself from Davis and Hendry by saying that they competed with everyone else, and he competes with himself. I still think that all of the stuff about 'I just show up coz I like playing and I don't care if I lose' is just deflection and he'd love that the be the case but he still really burns to cement his position as 'the best ever'. The reaction when he won the UK was not one of a man who just plays for fun.

In other news, two lads in Q school today played a 6 hour best of 7 match! The winner Lucas Kleckers had to immediately play his next match for a tour card and is currently 3-1 down.

Joe_ Public · 23-05-2019 7:29pm

zuutroy wrote: »

I can post the text if you like, but I thought that was against the rules these days?

I've often thought about it. Its tough to imagine the pressure of essentially carrying a sport on your shoulders, and that's going to be amplified ten-fold for someone who's had a chaotic enough life even before his fame. With Ronnie it comes out in threats to quit, stupid accents in interviews and all the carry on. Snooker like all individual sports requires the mental resolve to reach the peak, but another type of mental reserve to deal with the adulation and expectations of being a great, and Ronnie really doesn't have that. Same thing happened to Tiger but he acted it out in different ways.
I like the bit in the interview where he differentiates himself from Davis and Hendry by saying that they competed with everyone else, and he competes with himself. I still think that all of the stuff about 'I just show up coz I like playing and I don't care if I lose' is just deflection and he'd love that the be the case but he still really burns to cement his position as 'the best ever'. The reaction when he won the UK was not one of a man who just plays for fun.

In other news, two lads in Q school today played a 6 hour best of 7 match! The winner Lucas Kleckers had to immediately play his next match for a tour card and is currently 3-1 down.

Cheers, i'll go register anyway, only take a couple of minutes.

I agree about the UK, his reaction after winning was very revealing, even a bit surprising. Was refreshing to see how much it clearly meant to him. Personally, i find him a fascinating subject psychologically while others just instantly zone away from him. Will never fathom him i guess, why he says all those stupid things and what purpose they serve? No idea, but i also know he can be very interesting and thought provoking when he wants to be.

6 hours for a bo7 match is just ridiculous, guess it shows whats at stake for these guys.

zuutroy · 23-05-2019 7:50pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

6 hours for a bo7 match is just ridiculous, guess it shows whats at stake for these guys.

Yep...there were 13 centuries in the first 90 matches!

Joe_ Public · 23-05-2019 8:38pm

zuutroy wrote: »

Yep...there were 13 centuries in the first 90 matches!

Could be tight tables...but still! There was a guy playing in World Championship qualifiers with a career high break of 60 so just goes to show how sharply the standard tends to drop once you start going down the rankings.

I see Cork lad Ross Bulman was just one match away from getting his tour card, good going for a 17 year old. I was looking out for Aaron Hill but seemed to be a bit unlucky to meet a decent chinese player earlier on. The lad who beat Kleckers, Jamie O'Neill, was a guy i heard a lot about around 10-12 years ago as being a serious talent but dont think he ever had the temperament to go with it.

waynescales1 · 23-05-2019 8:59pm

Unlucky for the BBC, he's not competing in any of their events. They won't like that.

Loafing Oaf · 24-05-2019 10:04am

Sandor Clegane wrote: »

He does want to play, this is just attention seeking.

He does this all the time. He generally sulks after a loss, comes out with stuff like not wanting to play etc... all of this is so he can hear fans say don't go and we need you and love you, the game needs you and blah blah blah...

He's been at this for years.

I basically only pay attention to snooker round the World Championship, but for people who have followed the sport year round for a long time, this stuff must get really tiresome. You just know he will keep coming back even after he's long past his best. Can see him in 15 years trying and failing to qualify like Jimmy White.

Inviere · 24-05-2019 3:58pm

waynescales1 wrote: »

Unlucky for the BBC, he's not competing in any of their events. They won't like that.

I'll believe it when I see it. I don't tend to listen to anything Ronnie says these days. And sure if he doesn't turn up, whatever, if Trump maintains his form it's a higher standard than Ronnie has been at anyway.

zuutroy · 08-06-2019 10:04pm

Good long interview with Ronnie here...based around his approach to life, more than just snooker. He explains a lot about where is head is at when he loses it like when he walked out against Hendry. I'd still like to get a straight answer as to what particularly went on this year against Cahill, and how he feels about carrying the sport, but the interviewer didn't pursue it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p07c9hzj

2019 World Snooker Championship (Mod Note Post One)

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