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Ssb - mean, moody and magnificent
On the day in which a new integrity unit was announced it didn’t say much for the integrity of snooker that a player had to be persuaded by the referee to pot the last ball of a 147.
Jan Verhaas did the right thing, for the watching spectators and the crowd, by telling Ronnie O’Sullivan to pot the black yesterday.
O’Sullivan, who had at various times in his match against Mark King been mean, moody and magnificent, wanted to flounce off because the bonus prize for a maximum has been scrapped.
I agree with him that this is wrong. A 147 break is still a major achievement. For him to have made ten in his career is remarkable.
World Snooker claims it is too costly to insure against them but there was only one in a ranking event during the whole of last season. They remain relatively rare and should be rewarded.
But O’Sullivan’s behaviour, both in the arena and in interviews afterwards, was crass.
We live in difficult economic times. You don’t have to walk far from the SECC in Glasgow to find people for whom £4,000 would make a huge difference.
I’ve no doubt Ronnie’s many fans will spring to his defence but this was far from his finest hour.
However, the climax should not detract from the fact that the break was sensational and he played by far the best snooker and provided the headlines of what was otherwise a low key day.
In doing so, he did the game a favour. This, as ever, is Ronnie in a nutshell and this, despite what many think, is why we are lucky to have him.
Even when he is doing things that make the sport's wise old heads despair - as they did yesterday - he is still providing entertainment.
The media at large was simply not bothered about any of yesterday's other matches.
Today we have what could be the match of the round as Ali Carter tackles Mark Williams. Both these players are in form but I can’t help thinking Williams will adapt better to the short format.
Stephen Hendry can earn valuable ranking points if he beats Mark Davis to reach the last 16.
I can’t see Peter Ebdon’s match against Fergal O’Brien being a sprint but, again, Ebdon could use the points as he attempts to rejoin the elite top 16.
Here’s an interesting anomaly: Liu Song is eligible for ranking points but, with John Higgins returning to the circuit in November, will have to give up his place on the main tour by November.
So what happens if he wins the tournament?
More...
Jan Verhaas did the right thing, for the watching spectators and the crowd, by telling Ronnie O’Sullivan to pot the black yesterday.
O’Sullivan, who had at various times in his match against Mark King been mean, moody and magnificent, wanted to flounce off because the bonus prize for a maximum has been scrapped.
I agree with him that this is wrong. A 147 break is still a major achievement. For him to have made ten in his career is remarkable.
World Snooker claims it is too costly to insure against them but there was only one in a ranking event during the whole of last season. They remain relatively rare and should be rewarded.
But O’Sullivan’s behaviour, both in the arena and in interviews afterwards, was crass.
We live in difficult economic times. You don’t have to walk far from the SECC in Glasgow to find people for whom £4,000 would make a huge difference.
I’ve no doubt Ronnie’s many fans will spring to his defence but this was far from his finest hour.
However, the climax should not detract from the fact that the break was sensational and he played by far the best snooker and provided the headlines of what was otherwise a low key day.
In doing so, he did the game a favour. This, as ever, is Ronnie in a nutshell and this, despite what many think, is why we are lucky to have him.
Even when he is doing things that make the sport's wise old heads despair - as they did yesterday - he is still providing entertainment.
The media at large was simply not bothered about any of yesterday's other matches.
Today we have what could be the match of the round as Ali Carter tackles Mark Williams. Both these players are in form but I can’t help thinking Williams will adapt better to the short format.
Stephen Hendry can earn valuable ranking points if he beats Mark Davis to reach the last 16.
I can’t see Peter Ebdon’s match against Fergal O’Brien being a sprint but, again, Ebdon could use the points as he attempts to rejoin the elite top 16.
Here’s an interesting anomaly: Liu Song is eligible for ranking points but, with John Higgins returning to the circuit in November, will have to give up his place on the main tour by November.
So what happens if he wins the tournament?
More...
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