2014 World Championship - Discussion

[vilkrang]

Nearly 2 hours for four frames, disgraceful. What a snooze fest and this kind of match could kill the game. We need more entertainers and flair back, players who play with a style that gets fans on the edge of their seats. Players like Selby and Robertson can dictate the pace of the game and that is unfair on the rest of the players who get on with the game and play the game in the right spirit.

Speak for yourself, I thought it was enthralling stuff.

[daffie]

I'm feeling the opposite. 2 hours of hard match play snooker. Bliss.

It's all I hoped for and what I'm forever looking for in a snooker match...this is great stuff!

[cueman]

I'm feeling the opposite. 2 hours of hard match play snooker. Bliss.

I know some people will enjoy it but you are in the minority. If snooker was played like this by all do you really think it would have a future? Where is the inspiration for the next generation of players to watch the game being played like this?

Do you really think its acceptable to see 2 players trying to dictate the pace of the game, do all this needless walking round the table pointing their cue at spots where they want to put the white. Look at the position of the reds countless times even when most of them haven't moved an inch since they last looked?

I'm thinking of the long term future for snooker here and these two are not good ambassadors for the game IMO. For all their centuries combined they are 2 of the most boring tedious players I've ever seen in the game and I've watched since the 70's with the likes of Thorburn, Griffiths and Charlton, but these players never played these mind games or tried to deliberately slow the game down, they were just naturally slow players.

[daffie]

?..

Spare a thought for our foreign members on here where there's little or no live coverage...

Thanks But no need really...we've had some 18 hours a day of live coverage on Eurosport...we're doing just fine!

[Billy]

I'm feeling the opposite. 2 hours of hard match play snooker. Bliss.

Agreed. I really don't understand cueman's sentiments there. Back in the 'good old days' of the 80s, when snooker was at its peak and attracting massive viewing figures, what we've watched tonight was pretty much standard fair.

It was good enough then so why not now?

People want a different game today and I wonder if they should maybe look for a different sport altogether. It's a bit like a football fanatic watching indoor bowls and complaining because it's not as exciting as football.

This is snooker, what exactly are you hoping to see??

[vilkrang]

I know some people will enjoy it but you are in the minority. If snooker was played like this by all do you really think it would have a future? Where is the inspiration for the next generation of players to watch the game being played like this?

Do you really think its acceptable to see 2 players trying to dictate the pace of the game, do all this needless walking round the table pointing their cue at spots where they want to put the white. Look at the position of the reds countless times even when most of them haven't moved an inch since they last looked?

I'm thinking of the long term future for snooker here and these two are not good ambassadors for the game IMO. For all their centuries combined they are 2 of the most boring tedious players I've ever seen in the game and I've watched since the 70's with the likes of Thorburn, Griffiths and Charlton, but these players never played these mind games or tried to deliberately slow the game down, they were just naturally slow players.

You seem to be the one in the minority on this thread. It didn't seem like mind games either, just well thought out safety. You must play a lot of snooker seeing as your highest break is apparently 147 so I would have thought this point would not have been lost on you.

[Odrl]

I know some people will enjoy it but you are in the minority.

I would be very surprised if that's true. :wink:

I think the first four frames have been excellent, some really great tactical play, Selby getting the snooker he needed twice, Robertson making that clearance for 1-1, Selby with the 133 clearance... You can't ask for better than that really. Hopefully they continue like this for the rest of the match. :smile:

But unfortunately some people on here seem to have decided in advance that they are going to watch this match with an extremely negative attitude and then complain about every single thing their hated players do. Shame.

[cyberheater]

I know some people will enjoy it but you are in the minority. If snooker was played like this by all do you really think it would have a future? Where is the inspiration for the next generation of players to watch the game being played like this?

Do you really think its acceptable to see 2 players trying to dictate the pace of the game, do all this needless walking round the table pointing their cue at spots where they want to put the white. Look at the position of the reds countless times even when most of them haven't moved an inch since they last looked?

I'm thinking of the long term future for snooker here and these two are not good ambassadors for the game IMO. For all their centuries combined they are 2 of the most boring tedious players I've ever seen in the game and I've watched since the 70's with the likes of Thorburn, Griffiths and Charlton, but these players never played these mind games or tried to deliberately slow the game down, they were just naturally slow players.

I understand what your saying but if your watching a long match with Selby and Robbo I don't think you can expect anything else. They are the hard men of snooker. Both have brilliant safety play with great long potting ability. It's going to be a very hard fought match.

[cueman]

Agreed. I really don't understand cueman's sentiments there. Back in the 'good old days' of the 80s, when snooker was at its peak and attracting massive viewing figures, what we've watched tonight was pretty much standard fair.

It was good enough then so why not now?

It wasn't played like this, the players weren't as good as they are today so mistakes and misses were all part of the drama. Today its more about mind games, gamesmanship, trying to find a way to unsettle the opponent, that isn't what a gentlemens sport which snooker has always been is about in my opinion.

[thevenue2]

Nearly 2 hours for four frames, disgraceful. What a snooze fest and this kind of match could kill the game. We need more entertainers and flair back, players who play with a style that gets fans on the edge of their seats. Players like Selby and Robertson can dictate the pace of the game and that is unfair on the rest of the players who get on with the game and play the game in the right spirit.

AGREED! People on here seem to forget, that not EVERYONE who watches snooker is looking for boring 30-sec shot time averages! Terrible when players deliberately take a long time to slow a match up, if the game meeded to lose anymore viewers than it has done already, then matches like this will surely do it.

[Billy]

It wasn't played like this, the players weren't as good as they are today so mistakes and misses were all part of the drama. Today its more about mind games, gamesmanship, trying to find a way to unsettle the opponent, that isn't what a gentlemens sport which snooker has always been is about in my opinion.

Well it's certainly far more clinical nowadays, that I can't argue with. I suppose it's all about what you want from the game as a spectator.

[Billy]

AGREED! People on here seem to forget, that not EVERYONE who watches snooker is looking for boring 30-sec shot time averages!

Go watch some 9-ball pool then. There's plenty on youtube.

This is like eating a banana and then complaining because it doesn't taste like an apple.

[alphabetagaga]

I know some people will enjoy it but you are in the minority. If snooker was played like this by all do you really think it would have a future? Where is the inspiration for the next generation of players to watch the game being played like this?

Do you really think its acceptable to see 2 players trying to dictate the pace of the game, do all this needless walking round the table pointing their cue at spots where they want to put the white. Look at the position of the reds countless times even when most of them haven't moved an inch since they last looked?

I'm thinking of the long term future for snooker here and these two are not good ambassadors for the game IMO. For all their centuries combined they are 2 of the most boring tedious players I've ever seen in the game and I've watched since the 70's with the likes of Thorburn, Griffiths and Charlton, but these players never played these mind games or tried to deliberately slow the game down, they were just naturally slow players.

really? this thread says otherwise.

[cueman]

Agreed. I really don't understand cueman's sentiments there. Back in the 'good old days' of the 80s, when snooker was at its peak and attracting massive viewing figures, what we've watched tonight was pretty much standard fair.

It was good enough then so why not now?

People want a different game today and I wonder if they should maybe look for a different sport altogether. It's a bit like a football fanatic watching indoor bowls and complaining because it's not as exciting as football.

This is snooker, what exactly are you hoping to see??

No I want the game back that was good when players relied on their ability first and foremost. Do you remember the days of Hendry, Williams, Higgins, Ronnie, Hunter etc, all great players but none of them went down this route of gamesmanship. You seem to want a different game where boring the opponent into some form of submission seems to be the order of the day.

Hendry summed it up perfectly yesterday after the first 4 frames when we he said its snooker but not how he knows it. And Doherty and Parrot were also quick to pick up how Robertson was trying to 'put a number on him' as their response to his deliberate slow play against Trump.

Tell me again, what is the game of snooker about, is it skill or is it gamesmanship?

[thevenue2]

Go watch some 9-ball pool then. There's plenty on youtube.

Great reply! Genius.