World snooker 2008

Any snooker fans here? I can't get enough of it.

Went to the crucible for the first time this year. I saw Neil Robertson beat Nigel Bond in the morning and then the Ebdon - Cope match in the evening. I have to say that I haven't ever experienced an atmosphere like there was this evening and I strongly urge anyone who has even a passing interest in snooker to try to go and watch the World Championship at the crucible at some point in their life. I've enjoyed tense matches on TV before but it doesn't come close to actually being there, I'm going to go every year now.

I was physically shaking throughout the last 2 frames, the relief I felt was extraordinary when Ebdon sank the brown to win the match. Most of the crowd seemed to be rooting for Cope though, and in fact if you heard shouts of "come on Ebbo" then that would be my good self.

I don't agree with the stick Ebdon gets, for me he is a far more interesting player to watch than most snooker players, he is so intense and I don't think his last 50 break would have been as nerve wracking as it was had it been a faster player at the table. I had to hold my breath each shot. He also seems like a thoroughly decent bloke, as soon as he won he went over to Cope and offered some words of encouragement and then stood back and applauded him with the audience whilst Cope left the arena before leaving the arena himself. I think I'd quite like him to win it this year.


Anyway, today was a great day for snooker and I'm gutted I had to miss Ronnie's 147 as I was at work, I've narrowly missed all of his 147s after watching most of the matches they have happened in so I think I'm destined never to see one by the magician. Looking forward to seeing it on the late show tonight though. The Liang Wenbo v Joe Swail match tonight was arguably more entertaining though, I wanted the young lad to go through and he looked to have ****** it up on so many occasions and I was chuffed when he managed to come through.

I had 100 pounds on Wenbo. I've had several severe seizures in the last few hours.

Love it. Was screaming at my TV when Ronnie was making that break. As I do with most sports.

I prefered snooker when all the players were either 80 yrs old, fat bastards,drug addicts or drunks....

Yep big snooker fan, Ronnies 147 was amazing today, hope he goes on to win it he looks in good nick, but doesn't he always? probably lose the plot in a few matches.

It's quite annoying that unless he has a ridiculous 5 years he won't go down as the greatest player of all time, even though he clearly is. When he is on form there is no better player in the world. People may say that Hendry has the better mental game, but Ronnie is actually better than him in this department, he just isn't as consistent. You can't make 9 147s (a record) and not have bottle. Ronnie has made a countless number of match winning clearances in final frames so his bottle isn't even in question, he only loses it when he's a couple of frames down in the middle of a tournament. So frustrating as a fan to know that he should have won at least as many titles as Hendry has by now but probably won't better him in that respect. He'll overtake him in centuries made though eventually.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if I don't see a player of his calibre in my lifetime, he is one of a kind already.

Ronnie is looking focused now. I would not be suprised if he won most of the tournaments next season. And this WC.

PearlJ wrote:Ronnie is looking focused now. I would not be suprised if he won most of the tournaments next season. And this WC.

Everyone was saying the same thing 7 years ago, but I hope you are right.

vilkrang wrote:

PearlJ wrote:Ronnie is looking focused now. I would not be suprised if he won most of the tournaments next season. And this WC.

Everyone was saying the same thing 7 years ago, but I hope you are right.

Everybody does. I have not ever talked to a snooker fan who doesn't love Ronnie.

How is the Aussie guy going?

vilkrang wrote:It's quite annoying that unless he has a ridiculous 5 years he won't go down as the greatest player of all time, even though he clearly is. When he is on form there is no better player in the world. People may say that Hendry has the better mental game, but Ronnie is actually better than him in this department, he just isn't as consistent. You can't make 9 147s (a record) and not have bottle. Ronnie has made a countless number of match winning clearances in final frames so his bottle isn't even in question, he only loses it when he's a couple of frames down in the middle of a tournament. So frustrating as a fan to know that he should have won at least as many titles as Hendry has by now but probably won't better him in that respect. He'll overtake him in centuries made though eventually.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if I don't see a player of his calibre in my lifetime, he is one of a kind already.

Not meaning to be rude but your description if applied to a cricket player would have them classified as a FTB ...

Aye - esp this:

he only loses it when he's a couple of frames down in the middle of a tournament.

JGK wrote:Aye - esp this:

he only loses it when he's a couple of frames down in the middle of a tournament.

I wouldn't say so, my point was really that he only loses tournaments when he can't be arsed. He plays better against the big names (Hendry, Williams, Maguire etc) so a snooker FTB isn't really a valid description. He utterly destroyed Hendry in 2004 (17-3 I think it was) and there wasn't really a lot that Hendry did wrong, he was playing pretty well in the tournament.

Don't get me wrong - Ronnie is a thrilling snooker player. But I don't know how he could be considered the greatest ever.

JGK wrote:Don't get me wrong - Ronnie is a thrilling snooker player. But I don't know how he could be considered the greatest ever.

If you consider greatest to mean the most successful then he doesn't even come close to Hendry, granted.

JKLever wrote:I prefered snooker when all the players were either 80 yrs old, fat bastards,drug addicts or drunks....

Yep. Steve Davis ruined everything.

vilkrang wrote:I don't agree with the stick Ebdon gets, for me he is a far more interesting player to watch than most snooker players

Each to their own vilkrang. Deliberate time wasting to the extremes Ebdon sometimes takes it is embarrassing and not something that will attract neutrals and sponsors to the sport. I'm not a fan of the boyo Williams but he's a pretty laid back character and there was a game some years ago between the two of them that had me willing Williams to hit Ebdon with his cue. Not quite as dramatic but he chose instead to mimic Ebdons ridiculous behaviour in the previous frame by shouting and bawling and waving his cue in the air just like Ebdon had done. I don't like Ebdon one little bit and I'd go as far as to say Ebdons 'style of play' was one of the reasons I lost interest in snooker as a spectator sport.

vilkrang wrote:

JGK wrote:Don't get me wrong - Ronnie is a thrilling snooker player. But I don't know how he could be considered the greatest ever.

If you consider greatest to mean the most successful then he doesn't even come close to Hendry, granted.

Yes, but O'Sullivan is acknowledged by most people as the most naturally gifted snooker player of all-time. Which generally means if he could be arsed he could beat anyone that's ever picked up a snooker cue.

Watching him at the peak of his powers I would never have thought it possible that there might be a snooker player come along that would be better than Stephen Hendry, but playing at their very best there wouldn't be many, if any, willing to back Hendry in a head to head battle.

By the way, I've watched the 147 clearance on YouTube a couple of times and this question and answer session in China made me smile. Stick with it, it gets interesting after a minute or so. He's a one is our Ronnie...

World Championship Semi-Final, Ronnie O'Sullivan 17-6 Stephen Hendry.

During the game O'Sullivan won 12 frames on the bounce.

Hendry failed to pot a ball in seven of the eight frames O'Sullivan had won during the morning session.

It was the first session 'whitewash' of Hendrys career.

At one stage O'Sullivan scored 448 points without reply.

At the end of the match Hendry congratulated O'Sullivan and told him that he was the best he had ever played against.

'Rocket' has to be the best snooker player that ever drew breath, and do you know what? I still wouldn't back him to beat Ali Carter in the final.

Geoffrey Trueman wrote:World Championship Semi-Final, Ronnie O'Sullivan 17-6 Stephen Hendry.

During the game O'Sullivan won 12 frames on the bounce.

Hendry failed to pot a ball in seven of the eight frames O'Sullivan had won during the morning session.

It was the first session 'whitewash' of Hendrys career.

At one stage O'Sullivan scored 448 points without reply.

At the end of the match Hendry congratulated O'Sullivan and told him that he was the best he had ever played against.

'Rocket' has to be the best snooker player that ever drew breath, and do you know what? I still wouldn't back him to beat Ali Carter in the final.

No? I think Carter won't even get to 5 frames. Ronnie is a man on a mission atm. This is his time.

No arguments from me PJ, on current form Ronnie could nil him. But hey, one emotional telephone call to your Father, an ounce bag of Columbias finest and three hookers could alter the mindset of any man... so I've been told.

He's gone off with a bang......

3-1 and he's not even got started yet. I don't know what the record for most number of centuries in a final is but I reckon they will break the collective record and Ronnie will break the individual record.

Before this final I thought that the only way Ali Carter could win would be if he played as well as he possibly could and if Ronnie has a serious dip in form. So far, Ronnie has had the dip in form and is still 6-2 up. If Carter gets to the final session now I'll be impressed.

Yup he has been making a lot of mistakes but still finds himself 6-2 up, hope he sorts it out and finishes the job. He has been superb in this tournement, if only he could play like this year in year out.

Ronnie's one unto hmself, he'll win or lose lose this off of his own bat, 10-5, so far...he's gorgeous too....