Ssb - john higgins returns

[MySockPuppet]

A year ago, the prospect of John Higgins becoming the black sheep of the snooker family seemed ludicrous.

He was the best player in the world with a well earned reputation as an amiable guy, unaffected by fame and fortune.

All that changed in the Ukraine earlier this year and the subsequent News of the World sting that left Higgins fighting for his professional survival.

Today he returns at the European Players Tour Championship in Hamm, Germany, his first match since losing 13-11 to Steve Davis in the second round of the World Championship.

In an interview with the Scotland on Sunday, Higgins likened this to a trip to the dentist. He is unsure about how his fellow players and the wider game will welcome him back.

Some have sent messages of support. Some have not. I know one well known player – a good friend of Higgins – who was simply too embarrassed by the whole affair to say anything to him at all.

Higgins has been the recipient of many - mainly anonymous - insults from some fans on the internet and admitted he read many of these comments through natural curiosity.

But public opinion is only that: opinion. The tribunal was headed by an independent lawyer who came to his judgement based on the available facts, not his own prejudice.

I wouldn’t write anything about John that I wouldn’t say to his face.

I believe he was very naive, well, stupid, to put himself in that situation but the idea that, were this a genuine plot, he would have trousered the £260,000 ‘bribe’ is not one I could picture. I’ve known him a while and that isn’t him.

But it is true that top sportspeople can develop a kind of arrogance without even knowing it. They become accustomed to a lifestyle and a sort of untouchability that means they don’t fully think through their actions.

Regardless of whether he was led into a possibly career ending scenario by his manager, Higgins should surely have behaved in a more professional manner.

And he knows that. He will have thought of little else since he was suspended.

Some will forever look at him and see someone they believe was prepared to cheat. Some will be happy to see a successful, contented person brought down a peg or two. Some will support him to the end.

Higgins will never convince everyone of his innocence and as the years go by the myths surrounding the case will grow.

But he’s back and he has every right to continue what was, until last May, a glorious career.



More...

[iksotam]

I know I'll support him till the end. The best ever player has returned on the circuit!

[Migtsf]

"I believe he was very naive, well, stupid, to put himself in that situation but the idea that, were this a genuine plot, he would have trousered the £260,000 ‘bribe’ is not one I could picture."

What is the difference? Neither Higgins nor Mooney knew the plot was not genuine. What is evident to everyone is once any of them knew about it they were willing to be part of it.

And if naivety and stupidity is the explanation for Higgins’s actions, it’s very reasonable to believe that if his manager took advantage of it and was capable of convincing him to play along that easily, then his manager would have been capable of convincing him to go ahead with it too when the time came.

[bonoman1970]

Can anyone get the lottery numbers off him for tonights euromillions ?

[wildJONESEYE]

"I believe he was very naive, well, stupid, to put himself in that situation but the idea that, were this a genuine plot, he would have trousered the £260,000 ‘bribe’ is not one I could picture."

What is the difference? Neither Higgins nor Mooney knew the plot was not genuine. What is evident to everyone is once any of them knew about it they were willing to be part of it.

And if naivety and stupidity is the explanation for Higgins’s actions, it’s very reasonable to believe that if his manager took advantage of it and was capable of convincing him to play along that easily, then his manager would have been capable of convincing him to go ahead with it too when the time came.

What we dont know and i guess never trully will know is the Conversation that took part Between Mooney and Higgins prior to the Meeting in Kiev.

Mooney might have played the Mafia Card on Higgins to scare him to go along with it when they were in the meeting and what has happened in the last 6 months makes me think something like that had happened.

[Migtsf]

That’s fantasy. Higgins never said he was scared of his own manager. What he said was that he “found the atmosphere in the meeting somewhat intimidating”.

The Scot looks a lot of things on that meeting but one thing he doesn’t look is scared, besides, no sign of intimidating actions has been found by the investigation.

The tribunal didn’t buy the intimidation argument or Higgins wouldn’t have been found guilty of intentionally giving the impression to others that they were agreeing to throw frames for money, the same way people are not found guilty when they commit crimes in self-defense.

What set Higgins apart from his managed was that no evidence was found that Higgins had prior knowledge, but also nothing has been found to indicate he wouldn’t go ahead with it.

If the bribe scam was genuine, by the end of the season Higgins would have stolen €300.000 from the gambling industry.

[wildJONESEYE]

That’s fantasy. Higgins never said he was scared of his own manager. What he said was that he “found the atmosphere in the meeting somewhat intimidating”.

The Scot looks a lot of things on that meeting but one thing he doesn’t look is scared, besides, no sign of intimidating actions has been found by the investigation.

The tribunal didn’t buy the intimidation argument or Higgins wouldn’t have been found guilty of intentionally giving the impression to others that they were agreeing to throw frames for money, the same way people are not found guilty when they commit crimes in self-defense.

What set Higgins apart from his managed was that no evidence was found that Higgins had prior knowledge, but also nothing has been found to indicate he wouldn’t go ahead with it.

If the bribe scam was genuine, by the end of the season Higgins would have stolen €300.000 from the gambling industry.

the Atmosphere in the meeting was intimidating but maybe that was the paranoia Mooney had put in his mind.

[wildJONESEYE]

look Mooney knew exactly what they were going to discus but the last thing he wanted was for John to say NO WAY get out of my face so he probably gave john some intimidating thoughts before the meeting.

[Skypigeon]

I know I'll support him till the end. The best ever player has returned on the circuit!

I'll always support him, he's one of the best players snooker's ever seen! Extatic to have him back!

[Migtsf]

the Atmosphere in the meeting was intimidating but maybe that was the paranoia Mooney had put in his mind.

Maybe, maybe, maybe…

Maybe there was no intimidation at all, and all is what appears to be. How about that?!

There is a principle called Occam’s razor that says "the simplest explanation is more likely the correct one."

Besides, the tribunal didn’t think there was any intimidation so why should any of us?

If Higgins was really scared how come nobody can see that in the released video?

If that is him acting and since he fooled everybody with it, how can anyone from now on tell when he is telling the truth?

Why should we believe him now he knows he is being filmed and not when he didn’t know he was being taped?

[sh1234]

Besides, the tribunal didn’t think there was any intimidation so why should any of us?

If you apply that logic to this, why do people still think that he was guilty?

[Migtsf]

I’m sorry sh1234, but I don’t understand your question.

The main thing here is not if people think he is guilty or not. The most important thing is the TRIBUNAL found him GUILTY!

We saw him on video agreeing to throw frames for money and that’s exactly what he was found guilty of. The heavy-editing of the video argument was BS as was the intimidation excuse. They just couldn’t nail him with actually bribery charges because, since the scam was not for real, no frame was actually thrown and no money exchanged hands.

Now that Higgins is back to winning, in some people's minds, somehow it proves he wasn't guilty. Go figure.

All the dirt is now going to be swept under the carpet as if it never happened, and whether people like the punishment he got or not, he is now untouchable.

[Theguywithaplan]

I’m sorry sh1234, but I don’t understand your question.

The main thing here is not if people think he is guilty or not. The most important thing is the TRIBUNAL found him GUILTY!

We saw him on video agreeing to throw frames for money and that’s exactly what he was found guilty of. The heavy-editing of the video argument was BS as was the intimidation excuse. They just couldn’t nail him with actually bribery charges because, since the scam was not for real, no frame was actually thrown and no money exchanged hands.

Now that Higgins is back to winning, in some people's minds, somehow it proves he wasn't guilty. Go figure.

All the dirt is now going to be swept under the carpet as if it never happened, and whether people like the punishment he got or not, he is now untouchable.

As I understood it he was found guilty of bringing the game into disrespute and found not guilty of match fixing or intending to fix matches?

[thinsy]

The way I see it many people have been sent to prison with sentences too short for their crime, some with sentences too long for their crime..... Some people are falsely accused/condemned, some are falsely aquitted. But each one will do the punishment given!

Whether right or wrong John has served his punishment....

If you like him then enjoy the snooker he will provide for our entertainment.
If you don't like him, don't watch. Don't let his future upset you!!

[miscuehamburg]

What I would have expected from a world number one and a genuine ambassador of the game then, would have been to walk instantly out of the room as the talk about match fixing begun.