2019 World Snooker Championship

[JimMalone]

It's weird that losing three finals in a row could have a such a psychological effect on a player, especially someone who wasn't even one of the big favourites in any of the last three Championships. We talk about Hawkins' great record at the Crucible in recent years, which is basically a series of SF defeats, but somehow losing in the final on a consistent basis isn't seen in the same kind of positive light, especially by the player himself.

Even if Higgins does go on to lose the final, which is just one of several possibilities at this point, he has to remember the circumstances in which this has happened. He wasn't the favourite who threw good opportunities to win the title away, he actually exceeded the expectations of most snooker fans by putting together three good runs, while most of his rivals underperformed. For me, the players who should be way more devastated by their performances at the Crucible over the last three years are O'Sullivan, Robertson, Murphy and Allen. Not a single SF between them. :wink:

That's not how those champions think though. If you are sooo close, only one match away from the title you are bemoaning your fate. "God, soo close." And it's not as if Higgins was an outsider at those championships. As a four-time-world champion, who still was among the top 6 in the rankings even before the 2017 final, he definitely was a contender.
It's like you need to get to the pharmacy in time to get a vital medicine. You miss the bus, get into an fight with some stranger, but despite this hurdles make it in time - just to find out they don't have the medicine you need there.

If Gilbert loses the final here, it will be different. He really couldn't and didn't expect this in any way. It's already a dream for him. And even he might feel a little sting first. "Couldn't I have won one more match?"

[DeanH]

this must the tournament of flukes!

[snookerball]

So they've just left the semi-final of the World Snooker Championship on BBC2 whilst still showing horse racing on the single red button channel, despite being in the last frame of the session. I love the way they treat the sport sometimes - not.

[blahblah01]

It is on I Player...

[snookerball]

It is on I Player...

It's not on red button though. So I have to watch it from computer (meaning can't use PC for other stuff) or get the internet to work from telly (often do this anyway but many people don't have internet enabled TVs) - I'd understand cutting away if it was being shown on red button, or was the earlier rounds. But it's niether.

[DeanH]

BBC cutting short - for repeats of DIY shows shows that could have been rescheduled with no one noticing!

swap over to ES

[jrc750]

Nice one Judd, keep it going tonight
Not sure why Gary carried on there at the end, 3 snookers required with just 3 balls left, never going to happen

[JimMalone]

This one is over for me. I don't see Wilson coming back from 10-14.

I have been wrong during this tournament a few times though...

[snookerball]

Nice one Judd, keep it going tonight
Not sure why Gary carried on there at the end, 3 snookers required with just 3 balls left, never going to happen

Desperation. Can you blame him?

[blahblah01]

This one is over for me. I don't see Wilson coming back from 10-14.

I have been wrong during this tournament a few times though...

Judd is more than capable of thinking this is all over and losing the first few frames and then..

[jrc750]

Desperation. Can you blame him?

You have to know it's the end, however hard it is to take

[snookerball]

You have to know it's the end, however hard it is to take

That's half the point of being a champion though, you never ever give in until your forced to.

[Stony152]

So they've just left the semi-final of the World Snooker Championship on BBC2 whilst still showing horse racing on the single red button channel, despite being in the last frame of the session. I love the way they treat the sport sometimes - not.

This kind of thing never happens in Canada or the US. 50 years ago a network left an NFL football game before it finished to show the film Heidi. There was such an uproar that it's never happened since.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidi_Game

I think it disrespects snooker and I really don't understand why the governing body keeps their relationship with the BBC. I'm sure Sky Sport would love to carry some snooker and would offer the same amount of money and actually show all of the matches.

The best solution is what happens in Canada. Many years ago the CBC carried all of the most important sporting events, but now there are two sports networks (TSN and Sportsnet) and they have the rights to 95% of the sport shown on Canadian TV. During events like the Olympics one of two main networks (CBC or CTV) get the rights, but then they partner with one of the sports networks so all of the events can be shown. I don't understand why the BBC can't find a place other than the red button or iPlayer to show all of the matches.

[Odrl]

That's not how those champions think though. If you are sooo close, only one match away from the title you are bemoaning your fate. "God, soo close." And it's not as if Higgins was an outsider at those championships. As a four-time-world champion, who still was among the top 6 in the rankings even before the 2017 final, he definitely was a contender.
It's like you need to get to the pharmacy in time to get a vital medicine. You miss the bus, get into an fight with some stranger, but despite this hurdles make it in time - just to find out they don't have the medicine you need there.

If Gilbert loses the final here, it will be different. He really couldn't and didn't expect this in any way. It's already a dream for him. And even he might feel a little sting first. "Couldn't I have won one more match?"

Sure, I can see the logic in being more disappointed by losing a final than by losing at any other stage, but sometimes you just have to consider the situation rationally and accept that this was the second-best result you could have got. 126 players did worse than you, and only one did better. :smile:

[Stony152]

126 players did worse than you, and only one did better. :smile:

Actually 142 did worse.