Champion of Champions Snooker

[robertmac]

Trump didnt play well at all and Bingham did.
Marco Fu also didnt play well at all.

Here's hoping for some great close matches
and some excellent frames.

[cueman]

Trump looks like his game is pretty good, he just needs to cut out the careless shots. First frame made a lovely break but missed an easy red, Bingham cleared and honestly that was the turning point right there. After that Bingham's confidence grew, he never gave Judd any real chance in the next 2 and Judd managed to make a good break before the interval to go 3-1.

After the interval Trump won that but then the next frame went a bit scrappy and they both seemed to be missing a few. Bingham with a good lead though just played solid in the last 2 again giving Judd very little chance and saw out the match. That first frame was a killer blow for Judd though, win that and the match is completely different.

[SnookerFan]

Been at work, so have been following this on twitter and the forums and trying to look busy. So far the only full match I've seen has been Bingham and Trump, though I saw a couple of hours of Selby and Mags the night before.

The coverage seems good. And at least they are televising all the matches, which is apparently something the BBC aren't doing for the UK Championship.

Having Clive Everton in commentary is good, as is Neil Foulds. Alan McManus is alright enough too. Jill Douglas obviously doesn't know much about snooker, but at least seems to be trying. Sometimes when a generic sports presenter is put onto a show just because the channel they work for has started covering it, they phone it in and take the paycheque. She seems likeable enough as a presenter, even if this isn't her strongest area of expertise.

Also, unlike when they had the World Open, ITV4 are in the arena. Not in a studio elsewhere providing commentary by watching a TV screen.

The tournament is a bit Mickey Mouse, but with a lot of tournaments from China it's good to be able to get home from work and a best of 11 match is on.

By and large, I think ITV4's coverage is pretty good. If they could just get somebody who wasn't John McDonald to be the MC, then that would be good.

[snookerloopylewis]

If they could just get somebody who wasn't John McDonald to be the MC, then that would be good.

He's not the clearest of speakers. Probably due to those teeth of his.

[SnookerFan]

He's not the clearest of speakers. Probably due to those teeth of his.

There's just something about him I find irritating. I much prefer Rob Walker.

That may be because I had a pint with him in Telford though. (Name dropper.)

[luke-h]

There's just something about him I find irritating. I much prefer Rob Walker.

That may be because I had a pint with him in Telford though. (Name dropper.)

He really is awful his pronunciation is dire.....he doesn't greet the players and no character, bring back rob walker i say

[SnookerFan]

He really is awful his pronunciation is dire.....he doesn't greet the players and no character, bring back rob walker i say

That's sounds pretty much the reason I don't like him.

Walker = Legend

McDonald = Bit of a div.


Also, I think it was McDonald that pissed the crowd off big style at a Premier League event I went to. Whoever he was, his pre-televised banter was atrocious. People couldn't wait for him to leave.

[JIMO96]

Liking the commentator team, the best 2 in the business in Everton & Foulds, plus their closest pursuer in my eyes (McManus). When any combination of these 3 are commentating, I find myself actually enjoying the snooker rather than having random outbursts at the TV because the commentator has said something annoying or cliched.

With Foulds and Everton, apart from the obvious expertise, their backstories are always about something of interest, or something not previously done to death. Like the Hendry "£400 a shoe" story. Listen to the typical BBC or Eurosport mic-man, and there's a standard story for every player/occasion. E.g every time Holt plays, the "knuckle" story gets rolled out; every time a player perceived to be slow appears, the "Griffiths-Thorburn 3:51am" story gets its umpteenth airing.

Also, if you listen to Thorne or Johnson commentating, they place heavy focus on the negative aspect of every shot (in Johnsons case, EVERY shot), and in some cases they can't wait to jump on the fact that a player is maybe 2mm out of position, sometimes rudely interrupting their co-commentator to do so. Now compare that to McManus. The compliments just flow, and there's a positive spin on most things. When this is coupled with the fact that he's obviously in tune with the players intentions during a break (unlike, say Hallett), this makes McManus very listenable and likeable. Simply put, a player messing up during a McManus commentary brings about a "surprised" reaction, but the same player during a Thorne or Johnson commentary would be ripped to pieces.

I think Jill Douglas, bless her, needs to do her research and lose some of the wooden-ness. I'm sure she called Mark Selby "Matt Selby" in the World Open last year too. I'm sure she'll improve though, it's only her 2nd event.

[cueman]

Spot on JIM, you are totally right about Joe Johnson, seems so bitter when commentating unless its Ronnie or Hendry he can talk about.

[Odrl]

A bit hard on Johnson perhaps... I always get the impression he really enjoys watching and commentating on matches, rather than just doing it for the paycheck. He also has that rare feeling for building up the tension by lowering his voice, instead of screaming on every important shot.

I also wouldn't call him negative, he rarely has a bad word to say about anyone.

[lesedwards]

Any idea where we can stream this.

[luke-h]

Any idea where we can stream this.

http://www.wiziwig.tv/index.php?part=sports have a look on there

[SnookerFan]

A bit hard on Johnson perhaps... I always get the impression he really enjoys watching and commentating on matches, rather than just doing it for the paycheck. He also has that rare feeling for building up the tension by lowering his voice, instead of screaming on every important shot.

I also wouldn't call him negative, he rarely has a bad word to say about anyone.

I was thinking the same. I mean, he's not got the same levels of knowledge at his disposal as Clive Everton. But he seems a decent enough guy, and one who genuinely enjoys the game. I can't think of any example of Johnson slagging everybody off.

[mythman69]

Carter up 3-1 against Robertson. Anyone watching?

[streamer45]

Carter up 3-1 against Robertson. Anyone watching?

yes, and 3-2 , lovely century :P