Snooker Thread

[CorkonianHunger]

Yep looking to be a good final. The snooker is perfect for the lockdown.

[CorkonianHunger]

Fair play to Yan Bingtao on the win, 20 years old. Higgins made some awful shots second session though. Great for Yan all the same, some bottle.

[The Heretic]

I haven't watched a snooker competition for 15-20 years but I managed to catch the semi finals and final of this one and I have to say I really enjoyed it with none of the stress associated with watching a football game (fooking Liverpool!!). I had other stuff planned to do on the Sunday but that went out the window. I must try to catch a few more competitions going forward...

[CorkonianHunger]

I must try to catch a few more competitions going forward...

It's a shame you tuned in when there was no crowd, the masters is usually rowdy. Then again the level of snooker was unbelievably high.

[The Heretic]

I must try to catch a few more competitions going forward...

It's a shame you tuned in when there was no crowd, the masters is usually rowdy. Then again the level of snooker was unbelievably high.

Funny I didn't miss the crowd noise at all....as snooker is "quiet" most of the time. Not to derail the thread but I missed the crowd noise in the darts a hell of a lot more, although I do wish the darts crowd would keep the noise down a bit when the players are throwing, same as the Lakeside was back in the day...

[CorkonianHunger]

I missed the crowd noise in the darts.

Agreed, it works for the darts, especially with the music cues. But yeah it can be out of hand when they are throwing. In snooker, it's actually the silence of everyone in the room when there is a moment of tension, more so than the noise, I prefer.

[Airneanach]

Anyone watching this year? Gotta fancy Stuart Bingham to go all the way if he can knock off Selby today. He's always flown under the radar slightly as a player, but in all his interviews etc this week he really comes across as a great guy with a deep love for the game. Your people's champion of the year in absence of Ronnie or Williams. Hope he can do it.

[Carnage]

I can't see him beating Selby unfortunately, or Wilson beating Murphy. I'd imagine it'll be another Selby win. Can't stand Selby or Murphy, 2 smug arrogant pricks, I don't care how good they are.

At least O'Sullivan went out early, might shut him up about how poor the younger players are.

[Ollkiller]

Some shots by Trump last night in his comeback but Murphy did well to win in the end.

[Airneanach]

Murphy I've warmed to a little. He seems to be having a good time and there's a certain character to his look and naff Disco Inferno entrance music. But yeah, Selby's turgid. I know he's a high calibre professional who'll do anything to win - and there's probably a lot of traditional snooker fans who'll vaunt that above all else - but a Selby final is to the detriment of television viewers everywhere. You get the sense he's not well liked on the circuit either. He doesn't get any of the "He's such a great guy" circlejerk when Ronnie, Jimmy White etc are doing their punditry.

[CorkonianHunger]

No Ronnie no party. Wanted him to beat Hendry's record. Still good snooker all round.

Also, how did Lisowski swing the pundit job. Like him as a player, haven't watched much of him speaking, but much prefer the usual lads.

[Carnage]

Joe Perry is the worst commentator I've ever heard, and that's including Willie Thorne. Never fucking shuts up, and his high-pitched Essex boy voice cuts through me.

[CorkonianHunger]

Joe Perry is the worst commentator I've ever heard, and that's including Willie Thorne. Never fucking shuts up, and his high-pitched Essex boy voice cuts through me.

Bits the fella on Eurosport/ITV.

[Airneanach]

I'm Team Eurosport now. Lost the plot fiddling around with BBC VPNs. I'm sure there's methods, the whole thing just stresses me out so I'm not arsed.  Eurosport have gotten quite good at doing that access-all-areas, rolling coverage that BBC used to do.

The HD picture still looks lower resolution than BBC's broadcast though which is utterly bizarre given they're using the same feed.

I agree though that love him or hate him, these tournaments do lose something as soon as Ronnie's out. I'd say broadcasters shit it when he leaves. Viewership must go down by a noticeable percentage. He's such a needle mover. In a totally different dimension to anyone else in the sport. Even though realistically he's had no 'moments' over the last few years, save having a moan every now and then, which in the snooker world is portrayed like Stone Cold Steve Austin storming out kicking the heads off people.

[Carnage]

Williams and Higgins are the draws for me. Neither one's a particularly dramatic or overly exciting player, but each is a pleasure to watch. Williams is good for a laugh on occasion, too.