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Minor Tournament discussion 2017/18.

1246

Comments

  • #92
    johnpop
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭johnpop


    So happy for Higgins :)


  • #93
    zuutroy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    Fairly spectacular clearance by Ronnie to level at 3-3 there. Bingtao is very solid.


  • #94
    Spudman_20000
    Registered Users Posts: 1,196 ✭✭✭Spudman_20000


    Great match, Bingtao would have beaten practically anyone else tonight. Ronnie 's safety was top notch.


  • #95
    zuutroy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    Yea he had him on the cushion every time. Pretty hilarious post match interview too: "When you play badly as often as I you have to find other ways to win" Hendry silently fuming.


  • #96
    Spudman_20000
    Registered Users Posts: 1,196 ✭✭✭Spudman_20000


    I'm sure Ronnie will ruffle some feathers too accusing the younger players of having no bottle, but he has a point. These young guns can pot everything but you have to be able to do it under pressure. Bingtao 's positional play deserted him in the last frame.


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  • #97
    _feedback_
    Registered Users Posts: 4,269 ✭✭✭_feedback_


    zuutroy wrote: »
    Yea he had him on the cushion every time. Pretty hilarious post match interview too: "When you play badly as often as I you have to find other ways to win" Hendry silently fuming.

    It was funny watching Hendrys reaction to most things Ronnie was saying - he just has this smirk on his face and you can tell he doesn't know what to make of some of what Ronnie is coming out with!

    There was a bit of a fiasco with a yellow which needed to be put back. the ref had it a few inches closer to the cushion that it had been. Ronnie was refusing to take the shot and the ref was insisting it matched the monitor, when it clearly didn't.. there must have been some sort of error with the technology, surely the two referees couldn't have been that wrong?


  • #98
    zuutroy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    God mode tonight for Ronald.


  • #99
    ArmaniJeanss
    Registered Users Posts: 13,287 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    Tense semi-final between Ding and Selby, could be a late one.


  • #100
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    So perplexing Ding. Playing great safety tonight then goes plays a barmy shot like that to gift the frame to Selby. Total enigma.


  • #101
    ziggyman17
    Registered Users Posts: 1,404 ✭✭✭ziggyman17


    not even 8pm on a Sunday night and the final is over.........what a player......


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  • #102
    ArmaniJeanss
    Registered Users Posts: 13,287 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    Selby Ronnie would have been a better final I guess. Ronnie still the likely victor going by both their recent form, but Selby would at least grind it out and leave a few bruises on O'Sullivan.

    Anyway, for those who just cant get enough the show moves on to the Motorpoint in Cardiff tomorrow for the Welsh Open with a full 128 player affair covered all the way by Eurosport, with afternoon coverage by BBC Wales also.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Welsh_Open_(snooker)


  • #103
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    I like how WS is giving the average shot times for each player now. Maybe with a view to encouraging the slow coaches to jive it up a bit? Dunno to be honest, but doubt it will have much effect on Rod Lawler anyway. AST of over 40 seconds is shameful, even if he didn’t get a lot of potting time against Tom Ford. Makes Pete Ebdon seem like a gazelle being chased by a pack of lions that hadn’t fed for a month.


  • #104
    callaway92
    Registered Users Posts: 14,317 ✭✭✭✭callaway92


    The Dutch commentator (Alex Lely I think) for the World Pool Masters obv can’t do anything about it, but I can’t watch the games. His accent is headwrecking. Always commentates on pool these days.


  • #105
    Frankie Lee
    Registered Users Posts: 3,285 ✭✭✭Frankie Lee


    Not related to the final tonight but I have to say wikipedia is excellent for keeping up to date with results in these minor tournaments. Really putting general sports news sources to shame. Fair play to the contributors.


  • #106
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Terrible finish to 14th frame. Hawkins does not deserve to win after that and pretty sure he won’t.


  • #107
    Arthur Daley
    Registered Users Posts: 4,368 ✭✭✭Arthur Daley


    BBC Wales showed some somewhat informative interviews with these two. John Higgins barely practices now, outside appearances at tournaments. Hawkins reckons he finds the tour and travel tiring, and thinks about having a 9 to 5 job instead.

    People with 9 to 5 jobs bitten by the bug for snooker think it must be brilliant to be on tour.


  • #108
    Ultimate Seduction
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,464 ✭✭✭Ultimate Seduction


    Arthur Daley wrote: »
    BBC Wales showed some somewhat informative interviews with these two. John Higgins barely practices now, outside appearances at tournaments. Hawkins reckons he finds the tour and travel tiring, and thinks about having a 9 to 5 job instead.

    People with 9 to 5 jobs bitten by the bug for snooker think it must be brilliant to be on tour.

    Same with all tour sports. Lucky to get 1 or 2 nights in your own bed each week. I'm sure he doesn't like the thought of a 9 to 5 wage though.


  • #109
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Arthur Daley wrote: »
    BBC Wales showed some somewhat informative interviews with these two. John Higgins barely practices now, outside appearances at tournaments. Hawkins reckons he finds the tour and travel tiring, and thinks about having a 9 to 5 job instead.

    People with 9 to 5 jobs bitten by the bug for snooker think it must be brilliant to be on tour.

    Didn’t hear it but Barry is known to be having off table issues for some time so, despite reaching the final this week, he has been in dismal form and head is probably all over the place right now.

    Spare a thought, though, for what it must be like for the guys lower down. All that travel to often pick up no prize money at the end of it. How do they keep doing it? I’ve no idea.


  • #110
    ArmaniJeanss
    Registered Users Posts: 13,287 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    I was only half watching the final with so much else on, so am wondering if this shot was commented on. Basic safety shot, but the blue seems to roll off line more than I've ever seen a ball on a tv table. And then even changes direction in its last couple of rolls.

    Hawkins safety on blue at 23:30.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITXr3JNN-iM


  • #111
    zuutroy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    Seems like he induced a load of side on the blue that really bit when it slowed down.


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  • #112
    ArmaniJeanss
    Registered Users Posts: 13,287 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    Players Championship from Llandudno starts Monday evening on ITV4, and continues throughout the week afternoon and evening until Sunday.
    It's an old school format ranking event, limited to 16 players from the 1 year money list, £125K to the winner and best of 11 matches.
    Judd Trump the defending champion.

    Top notch draw, not one poor looking game in there.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Players_Championship_(snooker)#Main_draw


  • #113
    zuutroy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    Not sure what Trump did to lose that match. :confused:


  • #114
    ArmaniJeanss
    Registered Users Posts: 13,287 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    zuutroy wrote: »
    Not sure what Trump did to lose that match. :confused:

    He always finds a way.


  • #115
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Threw 3rd frame away when he’d the chance to really put the squeeze on. Wouldn’t be too hard on him though, played well enough and just came up short.


  • #116
    zuutroy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    See the following! https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=105901960&postcount=96

    I was referring to the shot after the split. Didn't look like a kick and it would be a strange type of shot to get a kick on.


  • #117
    ArmaniJeanss
    Registered Users Posts: 13,287 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    callaway92 wrote: »
    The Dutch commentator (Alex Lely I think) for the World Pool Masters obv can’t do anything about it, but I can’t watch the games. His accent is headwrecking. Always commentates on pool these days.

    Recorded all this at the time and just finished it a few days ago.
    Yeah, Lely is a total headwreck and his voice is still in my head days later - was really hoping they'd get Strickland into the commentary box for a game or two once he'd been knocked out. Much as he's a total numpty at the table he seems to have some good insights into the game and I'd suspect there would have been some good anecdotes to be told as well.

    Enjoyable comp and the selection of players was better than previous years.


  • #118
    ArmaniJeanss
    Registered Users Posts: 13,287 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    ziggyman17 wrote: »
    not even 8pm on a Sunday night and the final is over.........what a player......

    Took him until 8.30pm this time for a 10-4 win - ITV4 not getting value from these finals at all.


  • #119
    Spudman_20000
    Registered Users Posts: 1,196 ✭✭✭Spudman_20000


    ArmaniJeanss wrote: »
    Took him until 8.30pm this time for a 10-4 win - ITV4 not getting value from these finals at all.

    I'd say having Ronnie at the business end of most tournaments they cover does plenty for their ratings though.

    Really enjoy the ITV4 coverage I have to say. Alan McManus is very good, Hendry is on there quite a bit and Clive Everton is great as always. Phil Yates grates a bit, but I'd still prefer him over bloody Denis Taylor.


  • #120
    Arthur Daley
    Registered Users Posts: 4,368 ✭✭✭Arthur Daley


    Yes ITV coverage has been good. They even brought back their 'hotshots', same as the 80s, only the shots are much better now.

    Both semis and the final were enjoyable. Good standard of play.

    To fill in the gap in the first session yesterday, they showed a frame from the 1987 Dulux British Open between Jimmy and John Spencer. It was a fairly standard frame with Jimmy making a 72 break to lead 72-4 with 43 left on the table. Couldn't figure out why they were showing it. Then John Spencer kept playing on until he got snookers and a free ball to win from 68 down with 43 left. Looking on wikipedia it was a rare quarter final for Spencer by that stage, at the end of his career. Unbelievably he was 41 at the time, but looked well into his 50s. Lots of smoking and boozing going on during matches. Compare that to Ronnie, and Mark Williams and Higgins today.


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  • #121
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Arthur Daley wrote: »
    Yes ITV coverage has been good. They even brought back their 'hotshots', same as the 80s, only the shots are much better now.

    Both semis and the final were enjoyable. Good standard of play.

    To fill in the gap in the first session yesterday, they showed a frame from the 1987 Dulux British Open between Jimmy and John Spencer. It was a fairly standard frame with Jimmy making a 72 break to lead 72-4 with 43 left on the table. Couldn't figure out why they were showing it. Then John Spencer kept playing on until he got snookers and a free ball to win from 68 down with 43 left. Looking on wikipedia it was a rare quarter final for Spencer by that stage, at the end of his career. Unbelievably he was 41 at the time, but looked well into his 50s. Lots of smoking and boozing going on during matches. Compare that to Ronnie, and Mark Williams and Higgins today.

    That was really great nostalgia Arthur. I suppose the thing about the old guys is there seemed to be more personality in the game back then, probably way too much in Alex Higgins’ case!

    One of my favorite Spencer stories involves him playing a deep screw shot against an opponent one time and those present looking on in horror. They had never seen it before and did not like what they were seeing from this young upstart. Crucial figure in the evolution of the modern game wasSpencer before serious eye trouble finished him as a force. Excellent commentator too I always felt.


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