Snooker

[Joe Strummer]

Trump beats Robertson 6-5 in one of the highest quality matches I've seen. Fancy him to win it now.

[Bjornebye]

Who won? Decent game? Who do you reckons gonna win it

[lifetime fan]

I'm not sure.

[RobbieOR]

O'Sullivan will piss all over Trump in the final.

[lifetime fan]

Ronnie beats Hawkins10-1

[Babb'sBurstNad]

The way he plays after each sabbatical he could go on for a fair few years yet. They need to stop asking him about Hendry's record though, he's not going to beat it, sadly.

[The Golden Eel]

I went round a few bookies accounts last weekend before it started and emptied some accounts on him winning the Worlds at 4/1, 9/2 and 5/1.  Also stuck a few quid on him winning Sports Personality at 100/1 (each way).  It's just whether he can keep his concentration for the whole 2 weeks at Sheffield.  

[Bjornebye]

Welsh open final on Eurosport. Ronnie against Robertson. Standard is unreal. 5 all, best of 17. 

[magicrat]

Welsh open final on Eurosport. Ronnie against Robertson. Standard is unreal. 5 all, best of 17. 

 

Watched few of Ronnie's matches this week.

He has been been at his very best. The way he beat Selvey was incredible

Not quite so devastating this afternoon but ran out an easy winner in the end this evening, 

I reckon his spat with Hearn when he declined to make a maximum because of the prize money spurred him on ,

He was a man on a mission this week 

[Bjornebye]

He is ridiculous. Greatest ever bar none. If he stays sane he can win another 5 world championships I reckon. 

[Joe Strummer]

Absolutely no chance. With the standard around and his temperament there is no guarantee he will even match Hendry's seven.

[Bjornebye]

Absolutely no chance. With the standard around and his temperament there is no guarantee he will even match Hendry's seven.

 

Well there clearly is a chance mate. 

[Remmie]

His ability is clearly unmatched, I don't think anyone would argue with that. However his temperament, concentration, dedication and personality issues definitely make the debate more interesting.

 

World titles are hardly a given and who knows what changes may take place in the rapidly evolving sport. Matching Hendry's record is a way off still and would be an astonishing achievement. Saying "an on form O'Sullivan will easily win the Worlds" and actually doing it for the 3 weeks or whatever it is, is a different matter. I bloody hope he does though, such a brilliant player to watch. Remember paying £2.50 to watch him in the LG cup in Guild Hall Preston during the early rounds a good 12-13 years or so ago. There were 2 tables and Ronnie's side was packed, the other side only had about 4 people in it. I was at the front and saw him hit a 147 for £2.50. I'd never even seen one live on the telly before, it was pretty incredible.

[johnsusername]

He towers over the game. And he seems to be getting better. The standard is so high at the moment, but to reel off frames against the likes of Robertson and Selby - I bet they just wish he'd retire!

 

I wonder if Hendry (the love rat) regrets retiring? It was okay for him winning when he was young and could practice for endless hours, but as soon as he got a family life his form dipped. Whereas ROS just keeps being ridiculously good.

 

Would love to see him equal or even better Hendry's Worlds record. The pressure will be intense though, and the standard is so high it only needs one competitor to have a great game it would all come to an end.

 

I'm not sure if he meant his (back handed) compliment to Roberston last night in the interview after the match.

[RobbieOR]

He towers over the game. And he seems to be getting better. The standard is so high at the moment, but to reel off frames against the likes of Robertson and Selby - I bet they just wish he'd retire!

 

I wonder if Hendry (the love rat) regrets retiring? It was okay for him winning when he was young and could practice for endless hours, but as soon as he got a family life his form dipped. Whereas ROS just keeps being ridiculously good.

 

Would love to see him equal or even better Hendry's Worlds record. The pressure will be intense though, and the standard is so high it only needs one competitor to have a great game it would all come to an end.

 

I'm not sure if he meant his (back handed) compliment to Roberston last night in the interview after the match.

 

I used to ghostwrite for Hendry. He retired because he didn't have the hunger for it anymore. He wasn't arsed practising and he wasn't used to not winning so he packed it in. He's been offered a wildcard at the Worlds the last two years from Hearn though so he has a chance to come back if he wants.

[johnsusername]

Shame really. ROS has stuck around and even seems to be improving. He's beating the new generation, who bombed Hendry out the top 16. I'd love to see a committed Hendry make a comeback, though. I wonder if he'd get the hunger back if Ronnie won this year's Worlds and became a real threat to his own record?

[lifetime fan]

Not even close.

 

Hendry won his titles in a poor era in my opinion.

 

The biggest challenge was Jimmy White, who although I loved him, bottled it every time.

[RobbieOR]

Hendry in his prime would beat O'Sullivan more times than he'd lose. O'Sullivan is great to watch but even when he's in the zone he'd lose it for a couple of frames and that would be that. Hendry was a born winner. It's all he talks about. 

[lifetime fan]

At their peak O'sillivan destroys him every time.

 

Off his peak, Hendry was so fuckng robotic (that's a compliment!) he would win.

 

Who's the best ever?

 

Ronnie.

 

By a mile.

[Baltar]

Both at their best and both in their prime, I reckon Ronnie wins against Hendry more often than not.

[Baltar]

Shame really. ROS has stuck around and even seems to be improving. He's beating the new generation, who bombed Hendry out the top 16. I'd love to see a committed Hendry make a comeback, though. I wonder if he'd get the hunger back if Ronnie won this year's Worlds and became a real threat to his own record?

Hendry said he developed some sort of condition that makes it harder to cue properly. So even if he wanted to comeback and had the hunger of old, he'll still struggle to compete with the top players.

[Bjornebye]

He towers over the game. And he seems to be getting better. The standard is so high at the moment, but to reel off frames against the likes of Robertson and Selby - I bet they just wish he'd retire!

 

I wonder if Hendry (the love rat) regrets retiring? It was okay for him winning when he was young and could practice for endless hours, but as soon as he got a family life his form dipped. Whereas ROS just keeps being ridiculously good.

 

Would love to see him equal or even better Hendry's Worlds record. The pressure will be intense though, and the standard is so high it only needs one competitor to have a great game it would all come to an end.

 

I'm not sure if he meant his (back handed) compliment to Roberston last night in the interview after the match.

 

I don't think it was. I was watching the German masters a couple of weeks back and Ronnie was doing some of the punditry. Even then he was saying that Robertson is the best in the business. Col is right, the standards in the 90's were nowhere near how they have been the last 15 years. Any of 7/8 players has been able to win the world title. Back then you had maybe 3/4 who realistically would challenge. Henry monopolised the sport. He wouldn't now even at his best. Neither would Davis. 

 

O'Sullivan beats Hendry at their best. He beats anyone. I think John Higgins at his best beats Hendry. 

[Ginny]

Ronnie is bigger than snooker

[Dr Nowt]

Ronnie's more talented than Hendry but we've all seen what happens when his head goes.

 

Hendry would do that to him fairly comfortably in my opinion, if they were playing each other at their peak.

 

As soon as that happens, Ronnie beats himself.

[johnsusername]

Peak Hendry v Peak Ronnie would come down to the roll of the balls. They'd be too well matched - a bit of luck would decide the game I think.

 

Either way, Ronnie is carving out the more interesting career now.