Shanghai Masters Qualifying and Main Draw

[sberry]

Agreed, after asking the ref for a second decision you should get on with it, not make her get other balls and markers out explaining the obvious, her reasoning and still disagreeing and not getting on with it again and again - would he have tried that with big Len or John?

It's easy to convince yourself that this is part of snooker and every player should accept it but it comes under etiquette, not trying to put a player off with mind games and delaying tactics should be as enforced as not dancing in front of them while they're on the shot.

[Gerry Armstrong]

Peter was perfectly entitled to ask if the Referee was sure but she seemed pretty emphatic so that should have been an end to it. He must have cued up to the white at least 4 or 5 times and then went back to the Referee moaning that the decision was incorrect as he reckoned he couldn't hit any more of the red if the Yellow wasn't there.

In situations like these, which are clearly a judgement call and a very close one at that, Peter should have accepted the decision after his first query and got back to his seat pronto and let Stephen get on with the game. It's not as if the Referee got the Black from a pocket after being potted and decided to re-spot it by placing it on top of her head!!

He is free to disagree but he argued far too long - and he was wrong in to the bargain as he clearly doesn't understand the rule properly based on the statements he was making about what he could hit and not hit.

[Odrl]

would he have tried that with big Len or John?

There was a similar situation a couple of years ago when Ebdon played Ken Doherty. He argued with Jan Verhaas for about 10 minutes and still couldn't accept his call. It worked against Ebdon on that occasion, because he was all over the place for the remainder of the match. :wink:

[sberry]

I can't believe he doesn't understand the rule properly and his eyes are good, he was using the ref's inexperience and the fact she cannot explain as quickly and fluently her reasoning as English is her second language albeit spoken very well. She was put under unnecessary pressure in order to disrupt an opponents play and she coped with it well.

It's gamesmanship as much as shouting at your opponent on shot and these days in sport and life if we do it and we're pilloried for it we can simply say we misunderstood, were taken out of context or made a mistake and are sorry but honestly wouldn't do it for that reason.

Nobody doubts the will to win but when it becomes win at any cost it's simply wrong, he knows and we know.

[sberry]

I should have added 'in my opinion only which is not necessarily the decision of anybody else and could be wrong' - but we know, imo.

[daffie]

As you say sberry, I also thought the ref (don't know her name, except vor "Ivy") handled the added pressure very well indeed, especially as things like these are sometimes harder to explain / discuss when English is not your first language (albeit her's is very good).

I also believe Ebdon was right in asking the ref to place an extra ball next to the object ball for better view, but after that had been done, he should have accepted her decision.

[daffie]

So which matches are on atm...anything good?

[sberry]

I'm watching Campbell vs Lee, about to go 3-3 probably but they're making me look half decent, Davis needs the last 3 against Walden and Bingham and Ford are onto the decider.

Campbell/Lee is worth watching if you have Eurosport if only to boost your confidence.

[daffie]

Cheers sberry. I'll be watching everything later on when I get back from work...will keep the campbell - Lee and Bingham - Ford matches in mind as the ones to watch.

[vmax4steve]

Yes, Ebdon was quite entitled to query the decision, and the referee cannot be criticised for explaining and even demonstrating that she was correct.

However, that having been done, she should have done as you say, and Ebdon, again as you say, should have accepted it.

You could have stood in the doorway of the arena and called it a free ball, it was that obvious, no demonstration was needed. Ebdon was trying to influence a young referee who just might have cracked under the situation, and at the same time p*ss off Maguire even more. Why can't this bloke simply stand up and play rather than relying on p*ssing off his opponents.

[Odrl]

I think he could also have just been in denial, refusing to believe he might have played his last shot in the match. As it turned out, the frame went on for over an hour after a tactical battle on the colours. :smile:

[sberry]

Because when the ability to win normally falls too far below the will to win some people will resort to any tactic to try to get the result. The excuses about shot-time are laughable and you only need watch a re-run of the world final and the next PTC to see this. However, the thought police can convict nobody and denying it is part of the 'game' as is not denying it.

At the end of the day you'll be remembered as a player who won some and lost some but what is more important in my mind is how others perceived your outlook and integrity, if you don't care to be remembered as a decent or fair sportsman that's your call.

[Guy3103]

Finally some snooker worth watching... I'm stuck on the Higgins - Jones match. It's pretty cool they are both playing TW cues

[daffie]

Is that Jamie Jones? (can't watch atm) One of the revelations of last year for me personally. Looking forward to seeing more of him...

[Guy3103]

It really seems as if John's new cue has quite some weight to it... I remember someone mentioned it having a larger than standard ferrule but does anyone know about the weight?