shaun.lawson Posted April 19, 2011 Author Share Posted April 19, 2011 I fancy we might see some late night drama in the Ebdon/Bingham match tonight I fancy, like most Ebdon matches, it might go on til about 3am with only one man and his dog left in the audience by the end! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 I fancy we might see some late night drama in the Ebdon/Bingham match tonight Bingo is going to do him as brought to you by The Merse yesterday. The Merse did not state that he couldn't see past Neil Robertson for winning the title either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 i wont be watching ebdon. the man is a pest on the table although he seems a right good chap off it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Ebdon sneaks ahead at 6-5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 7-5 Ebdon. Never doubted the boring get for a minute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudi must stay Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Remember, Hendry remains the youngest ever Champion. He's been playing snooker since five or six: incessantly from his teenage years onwards. He's achieved everything he could ever want to in the game, and has a family now; so naturally, his motivation's gradually faded. For me, Hendry's peak was circa 1996/7. Six times World Champion, untouchable at the top of the rankings, and even as Higgins, O'Sullivan and Williams began to emerge, Hendry still always seemed to have something extra. In the 1997 Charity Challenge final against Ronnie, Hendry watched an 8-2 lead evaporate in the blink of an eye - but come the final frame, when anyone else would've had it after losing such a huge advantage, Hendry unbelievably went straight in and made a 147. Ridiculous. But the problem was he was so successful that season that, by the time he got to the Crucible, he was exhausted. He still somehow dragged himself to the final anyway - but there, a fully fresh Doherty playing the snooker of his life was too much for him. And that broke the aura surrounding Hendry, something he couldn't adjust to. He blew a big lead against Williams in the Masters final at Wembley, losing sensationally on a re-spotted black; he lost the first seven frames against White in Sheffield; and the nadir was reached when Marcus Campbell (who?) beat him 9-0 at the UK Championship. The work Hendry did over the next four or five months to put his game back together was the finest in his career. Because the standard of the sport had shot up over the previous two or three years; and Higgins, Williams and O'Sullivan were all much younger than Stephen, so winning relentlessly didn't take anything like as much out of them. What followed, in 1999, was the greatest World Championship in history: the best eight players in the game (Hendry, Higgins, O'Sullivan, Williams, Parrott, Doherty, Stevens, Lee) all reached the quarters; the Big Four all got to the semis (remarkably enough, the only time the latter has ever happened). And in the semi-final, Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan produced, for my money, the highest standard snooker match in history: especially the third session, which Clive Everton described as "snooker from the Gods". But whereas the old Hendry could've seamlessly maintained an insanely high standard for months on end, the new one - who'd literally had to tear it all up and start again - couldn't. Watching the final that year, I suspected this would be Hendry's final title: just as Steve Davis' crowning glory had been when he'd finished first and daylight finished 2nd in 1989, when Hendry, White and Parrott were all about to mow him down. Sure enough, although Hendry again beat O'Sullivan 17-13 in the 2002 semis, he was almost imperceptibly weaker. Ebdon wouldn't have stood a chance against him in '99; but now, he did, and was a worthy winner of an epic final. Hendry's ambitions to win an eighth title effectively expired that night. If you look at his results since, he's always come up short over long matches: like older players of the past, he can't put the standard together over a full three or four sessions any more. That O'Sullivan obliterated him 17-4 in the 2004 semis, and 17-6 in 2008, tells its own story: he's not a contender at that level any longer. But none of that detracts from his incredible legacy: Stephen Hendry revolutionised the sport, and it's highly unlikely his modern day record will ever be topped. That he's honest enough to get out either now or soon instead of clinging on when his heart isn't in it only adds to my respect for the man. Er - a 14-12 lead in a best of 35 frames final (in 2002, not 2001) is no-one's idea of "convincing", Rudi. Only Ebdon - at 11-6 up - ever held a convincing lead in that match; but it seemed inevitable it would go to the wire, Hendry coming back and pushing his opponent to the limit - just as he had done against Doherty in 1997, when an impossible 7-15 deficit became 12-15, creating panic in pretty much everyone except Ken. must admit I don't really remember it. But he lost, when you consider he'd won it 7 times and Ebdon hadn't won it once that was a massive shock. And he's probably never been the same player since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 19, 2011 Author Share Posted April 19, 2011 must admit I don't really remember it. But he lost, when you consider he'd won it 7 times and Ebdon hadn't won it once that was a massive shock. And he's probably never been the same player since. Not massive, no. Pre-tournament, Ebdon wouldn't have been listed among the top six contenders - but Hendry was on the wane too, and taken to a decider by Doherty in the last eight. Hendry's defeat of O'Sullivan in the semis was itself a slight surprise; and while Hendry was favourite going into the final, he wasn't massive favourite. I remember chatting about it with my brother just before the semi-finals. Ebdon would do it, I thought - if he could get past Stevens, who'd been playing better than anyone. I still think him getting through that match was more remarkable than his performance in the final - and found myself getting seriously pissed off at the way Virgo, Thorne and Parrott all doubted Ebdon throughout the final. Largely because they just don't 'get' him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 8-8 Ebdon/Bingham. Bingham to get clinchers disease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Bingo is flying. 9-8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Just the 4 snookers to tie Peter. You can do it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Ebdon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Marco Fu out. Ricky Walden heading out. Couple of minor shocks really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanley_ Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 The Walden v McLeod match is going on for a ridiculously long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Stevens v Allen reaching an exciting finish. Stevens was 9-6 up. Now 9-8 and Stevens had a massive chance to seal it in the last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 Stevens v Allen reaching an exciting finish. Stevens was 9-6 up. Now 9-8 and Stevens had a massive chance to seal it in the last. Ah, the Stevens choke. The Arsenal of snooker at it again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Ah, the Stevens choke. The Arsenal of snooker at it again? 9-9 now. Allen just benefited from an outrageous fluke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Choke complete. Stevens out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 2nd round under way today. This is where the tournament really begins, with it now being 3 sessions. O'sullivan looks in decent form, his game with Murphy looks a cracker. The Carter Vs Dott game also looks a close one on paper. And then there is the agony of watching Hendry again. Some good snooker in store 2nd round accumulator. Trump vs Gould Williams Vs Cope Carter vs Dott Ding vs Bingham Murphy vs O'sullivan ?2 pays ?30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanley_ Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 I noticed the guy with the Dundee United top is there as usual. What the hell is the point in wearing a football top to the snooker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Mark Williams absolutely flying. 10-2 up on Jamie Cope. Could win with a session to spare. He's got to be in with a right good chance of taking down this tournament. Of all the players left I'll probably be supporting him to go and do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Palmer Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Hopefully Ronnie "The Rocket" gets horsed out soon. The whole Beeb love-in is ridiculous. From the commentators to the text fecking commentary on the website FFS! Would love to hear Virgo greeting. When's the dick playing next and hopefully there is another match on. (That was all rather Keegan-esque wasn't it!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Tolbooth Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Hopefully Ronnie "The Rocket" gets horsed out soon. The whole Beeb love-in is ridiculous. From the commentators to the text fecking commentary on the website FFS! Would love to hear Virgo greeting. When's the dick playing next and hopefully there is another match on. (That was all rather Keegan-esque wasn't it!) If O'Sullivan gets through his second round match (which I'm sure he will), and Higgins gets through his second round match (which I'm sure he will), then they clash in the quarter finals, could be a cracker with hopefully Higgins dumping that petulant little arsehole out of the competition. Just watched Carter v Dott and the standard of snooker was very very good, Dott was 6-4 in front and Carter reeled off 4 in a row with some superb break building, only for Dott to pinch the next two with some excellent potting, brilliant to watch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 22, 2011 Author Share Posted April 22, 2011 If O'Sullivan gets through his second round match (which I'm sure he will), and Higgins gets through his second round match (which I'm sure he will), then they clash in the quarter finals, could be a cracker with hopefully Higgins dumping that petulant little arsehole out of the competition. Just watched Carter v Dott and the standard of snooker was very very good, Dott was 6-4 in front and Carter reeled off 4 in a row with some superb break building, only for Dott to pinch the next two with some excellent potting, brilliant to watch! Dott always raises it at the Crucible. He's incredible. I honestly think he's the biggest over-achiever in the history of the sport: once Champion, twice runner-up, more to come this year, and all because of his fantastic application and bottle. And yep, O'Sullivan-Higgins would be something special, and very hard to call - but maybe Williams will take care of either in the semi? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Dott always raises it at the Crucible. He's incredible. I honestly think he's the biggest over-achiever in the history of the sport: once Champion, twice runner-up, more to come this year, and all because of his fantastic application and bottle. And yep, O'Sullivan-Higgins would be something special, and very hard to call - but maybe Williams will take care of either in the semi? Not sure why but I've never really taken to Dott, he seems like an ok guy though. Can't help but admire him when he plays here though, real grafter and an excellent player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 22, 2011 Author Share Posted April 22, 2011 Not sure why but I've never really taken to Dott, he seems like an ok guy though. Can't help but admire him when he plays here though, real grafter and an excellent player. I dunno if anyone has ever taken to Dott. I doubt he's even a household name in his own household. But I was thrilled for him when he did it in 2006, and loved the final session of that match even though everyone else moaned about how slow and tactical it was. That he's still a contender five years on amazes me - but he's used to everyone writing him off, and clearly thrives on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 I dunno if anyone has ever taken to Dott. I doubt he's even a household name in his own household. But I was thrilled for him when he did it in 2006, and loved the final session of that match even though everyone else moaned about how slow and tactical it was. That he's still a contender five years on amazes me - but he's used to everyone writing him off, and clearly thrives on it. Dott came on the pitch at Ibrox to parade his WC trophy... Cue (pun intended) the Hearts fans singing "One Stephen Hendry!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 22, 2011 Author Share Posted April 22, 2011 Dott came on the pitch at Ibrox to parade his WC trophy... Cue (pun intended) the Hearts fans singing "One Stephen Hendry!" The Hearts fans singing that from the Champions League section of Ibrox too! Poor old Graeme... Mind you, you know what I could never get my head around? John Parrott's an Everton fan - yet where did he parade the trophy around when he won it in 1991? Anfield. Do you think he reckons Liverpool fans are warm and cuddly, or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Palmer Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Saw some highlights from the Dott v King match and all I heard were raspers roaring at "The Rocket." Dott played some excellent stuff in that match as well (2nd session?), 6-3. When I looked in next day it was 7-6 and error strewn by both to the end. Don't mind Dott tbh. Who does Hendry play? Seems like this will be his last year regardless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Tolbooth Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Dott always raises it at the Crucible. He's incredible. I honestly think he's the biggest over-achiever in the history of the sport: once Champion, twice runner-up, more to come this year, and all because of his fantastic application and bottle. And yep, O'Sullivan-Higgins would be something special, and very hard to call - but maybe Williams will take care of either in the semi? An on form Williams is a joy to watch, he could easily beat anyone on his day but he's prone to a horror session where he loses 7 of the 8 frames now and then against the better players, but if he can knock that out of his game then he'll be very hard to beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Tolbooth Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Saw some highlights from the Dott v King match and all I heard were raspers roaring at "The Rocket." Dott played some excellent stuff in that match as well (2nd session?), 6-3. When I looked in next day it was 7-6 and error strewn by both to the end. Don't mind Dott tbh. Who does Hendry play? Seems like this will be his last year regardless. Hendry plays Mark Selby in the next round, I fancy Selby to dump him out comfortably in that one sadly, although I like Selby too. Here's the full draw mate http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/Drawspage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorian Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 I noticed the guy with the Dundee United top is there as usual. What the hell is the point in wearing a football top to the snooker? The boy is obviously a total walloper. These football top wearing cocks should be locked up. Are you feckin 12 mate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Palmer Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Hendry plays Mark Selby in the next round, I fancy Selby to dump him out comfortably in that one sadly, although I like Selby too. Here's the full draw mate http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/Drawspage Cheers. Interesting there could be a title decider between Dott and Higgins....will it be rearranged? Or will Hendry rediscover the magic and ram it right up them? Interesting times. Hopefully Fatty Murphy steps up to the plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Marsh Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 The boy is obviously a total walloper. These football top wearing cocks should be locked up. Are you feckin 12 mate? Ha ha. He is there every year and sits right behind the players. Always brings out his strip. Total embarassment, I dont think he has ever washed his strip and probably wears it to sleep. I stopped wearing strips when i was like 14. Pathetic loser of the highest order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusk_Till_Dawn Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Great win for Dott. Building up a great record at the crucible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Selby makes a century in the first. Hendry makes a century in the second. Great start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusk_Till_Dawn Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 And a third. Lol at the mutants who applauded on 99 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Hendry can never strike the right balance between being attacking and being wreckless. You can't afford to give your opponent so many chances by taking the wrong option like he does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Hendry has played a couple of really class safety shots in this frame Hopefully he can take advantage of it here. Needs to win at least 2 of these 4 frames. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 You seriously have to facepalm at what Hendry does sometimes. Baffling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Seven time world champion. Can't even get out of a one cushion escape snooker Selby looks in good form, was hoping he was going to be off his game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Just hope for Hendrys sake that his last match at the Crucible isn't an absolute hiding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Staring at a drubbing here. Hope he decides to play one final year, make it official that next year is going to be his last on tour, and really put everything into it one last time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 23, 2011 Author Share Posted April 23, 2011 John Mitchell, fresh from tipping the winner of the Grand National, might well have nailed this year's World Champion too. Because Selby is going great guns: I've rarely seen him looking so focused, so mentally sharp. He'll take some stopping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted April 23, 2011 Author Share Posted April 23, 2011 Staring at a drubbing here. Hope he decides to play one final year, make it official that next year is going to be his last on tour, and really put everything into it one last time. 2001: lost 13-5 to Matthew Stevens 2003: lost 13-7 to Mark Williams 2004: lost 17-4 to Ronnie O'Sullivan 2007: lost 13-6 to Ali Carter 2008: lost 17-6 to Ronnie O'Sullivan 2010: lost 13-5 to Mark Selby Hammerings against quality opponents are practically the norm for Hendry in Sheffield now. Over three sessions, he can't maintain the level required: indeed, he can barely even manage it for half a session nowadays. Nothing unusual in that: this is a young man's sport, and all Hendry's great predecessors had much the same problem. But it's still sad to behold. In 1996, after years of painful, joyless toil, Terry Griffiths dropped out of the top 16. Rather than cling on pointlessly, he decided to enter only the World Championship the following year: where he cruised through his qualifying match, and played magnificently (and even more remarkably, quickly) at the Crucible, giving Mark Williams the fright of his life in only going down 10-9. That was how to retire with grace. I'd love to see Hendry do something similar, and really go out in a blaze of glory - but the new ranking system, with three cut-off points during a season, may make that impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Rory McLeod is actually a joke player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Decent afternnon session now. Hendry v Selby & Ronnie v Murphy. Quick hour of this before I head out to a BBQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Rory McLeod. Hurry the **** up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Wiseau Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 McLeod is a total nob likes. Makes it even more irritating that Walden chucked it against him as I had ?2 on him to win the tournament at 200-1 that I was planning on trading once he got through McLeod. Banger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 The commentators were ripping him senseless in the earlier session. He's an absolute joke player. Get him to feck Higgins. Edit: On the plus side, 8 more frames of this means I'll have something to cure my usual Sunday night insomnia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Ding could be in a bit of trouble against Bingham here. Still hasn't been able to produce anything near his best at the Crucible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.