I'm going for a Selby win by a few frames. Either way let's hope it's a good game. By 4pm he could be boosted by Leicester City being crowned Premier League champions
Official Snooker Thread (Part 7)
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I think there's too many people who seem to have an insistence that every frame needs to be over in a short space of time, and so when you get tactical frames with some excellent safety play, and there's tension added to that, inevitably you're going to get long frames. No less exciting, but in a different way.
We had the longest frame in Crucible history and indeed an hour plus final frame which had some superb safety play from both players. In the end Mark Selby's experience and his "backs to the wall" game which he can bring out as needed just got him over the line. As Steve Davis said in the studio, it's match play snooker. Your play adapts to the situation, the way the balls lie etc.
As we've all seen, when Selby is on form he can whack in centuries, get maximums under pressure (semi finals of UK for example) and be as fluent and quick as the next player. When it gets tactical and with balls bogged on cushions, he has that tactical brain and is able to think up tough snookers for his opponent. That in my view gives him the all round game that others might lack, and certainly helps. I think Ronnie gave Mark the nickname "Granite" as he's an immovable rock when in tactical mode and you can't shake him off.
And added to that if he's not 100% in the right place at the moment (notably with recent tournament withdrawals) even getting to the final is an excellent achievement and shows a lot of passion, determination and downright hard work to get there. It's also worth noting for those who think Mark has no personality that after his first round match and being interviewed in Winter Gardens by Hazel etc, he was happy to knock a few balls around with people in the crowd behind and generally be all round great with everyone with a smile on his face. Being professional during play should not be deemed as boring, but instead shows he's taking it seriously and wants to win.
If people dislike what they saw last night, they're not a snooker fan.
The final has all the makings of a potential classic, and I don't mind who wins. Let's all enjoy it
We had the longest frame in Crucible history and indeed an hour plus final frame which had some superb safety play from both players. In the end Mark Selby's experience and his "backs to the wall" game which he can bring out as needed just got him over the line. As Steve Davis said in the studio, it's match play snooker. Your play adapts to the situation, the way the balls lie etc.
As we've all seen, when Selby is on form he can whack in centuries, get maximums under pressure (semi finals of UK for example) and be as fluent and quick as the next player. When it gets tactical and with balls bogged on cushions, he has that tactical brain and is able to think up tough snookers for his opponent. That in my view gives him the all round game that others might lack, and certainly helps. I think Ronnie gave Mark the nickname "Granite" as he's an immovable rock when in tactical mode and you can't shake him off.
And added to that if he's not 100% in the right place at the moment (notably with recent tournament withdrawals) even getting to the final is an excellent achievement and shows a lot of passion, determination and downright hard work to get there. It's also worth noting for those who think Mark has no personality that after his first round match and being interviewed in Winter Gardens by Hazel etc, he was happy to knock a few balls around with people in the crowd behind and generally be all round great with everyone with a smile on his face. Being professional during play should not be deemed as boring, but instead shows he's taking it seriously and wants to win.
If people dislike what they saw last night, they're not a snooker fan.
The final has all the makings of a potential classic, and I don't mind who wins. Let's all enjoy it
Originally Posted by zawtowers:
“I think there's too many people who seem to have an insistence that every frame needs to be over in a short space of time, and so when you get tactical frames with some excellent safety play, and there's tension added to that, inevitably you're going to get long frames. No less exciting, but in a different way.
We had the longest frame in Crucible history and indeed an hour plus final frame which had some superb safety play from both players. In the end Mark Selby's experience and his "backs to the wall" game which he can bring out as needed just got him over the line. As Steve Davis said in the studio, it's match play snooker. Your play adapts to the situation, the way the balls lie etc.
As we've all seen, when Selby is on form he can whack in centuries, get maximums under pressure (semi finals of UK for example) and be as fluent and quick as the next player. When it gets tactical and with balls bogged on cushions, he has that tactical brain and is able to think up tough snookers for his opponent. That in my view gives him the all round game that others might lack, and certainly helps. I think Ronnie gave Mark the nickname "Granite" as he's an immovable rock when in tactical mode and you can't shake him off.
And added to that if he's not 100% in the right place at the moment (notably with recent tournament withdrawals) even getting to the final is an excellent achievement and shows a lot of passion, determination and downright hard work to get there. It's also worth noting for those who think Mark has no personality that after his first round match and being interviewed in Winter Gardens by Hazel etc, he was happy to knock a few balls around with people in the crowd behind and generally be all round great with everyone with a smile on his face. Being professional during play should not be deemed as boring, but instead shows he's taking it seriously and wants to win.
If people dislike what they saw last night, they're not a snooker fan.
The final has all the makings of a potential classic, and I don't mind who wins. Let's all enjoy it”
“I think there's too many people who seem to have an insistence that every frame needs to be over in a short space of time, and so when you get tactical frames with some excellent safety play, and there's tension added to that, inevitably you're going to get long frames. No less exciting, but in a different way.
We had the longest frame in Crucible history and indeed an hour plus final frame which had some superb safety play from both players. In the end Mark Selby's experience and his "backs to the wall" game which he can bring out as needed just got him over the line. As Steve Davis said in the studio, it's match play snooker. Your play adapts to the situation, the way the balls lie etc.
As we've all seen, when Selby is on form he can whack in centuries, get maximums under pressure (semi finals of UK for example) and be as fluent and quick as the next player. When it gets tactical and with balls bogged on cushions, he has that tactical brain and is able to think up tough snookers for his opponent. That in my view gives him the all round game that others might lack, and certainly helps. I think Ronnie gave Mark the nickname "Granite" as he's an immovable rock when in tactical mode and you can't shake him off.
And added to that if he's not 100% in the right place at the moment (notably with recent tournament withdrawals) even getting to the final is an excellent achievement and shows a lot of passion, determination and downright hard work to get there. It's also worth noting for those who think Mark has no personality that after his first round match and being interviewed in Winter Gardens by Hazel etc, he was happy to knock a few balls around with people in the crowd behind and generally be all round great with everyone with a smile on his face. Being professional during play should not be deemed as boring, but instead shows he's taking it seriously and wants to win.
If people dislike what they saw last night, they're not a snooker fan.
The final has all the makings of a potential classic, and I don't mind who wins. Let's all enjoy it
”
An excellent post.
I really enjoy a long tactical frame even more than a quickfire century.
I also love a long enthralling match but sadly the Crucible is the only place where this takes place now.
The world championship is like test cricket, the UK and the Masters one day, and the rest of the tournaments 20-20.
Originally Posted by Keyser_Soze1:
“An excellent post.
I really enjoy a long tactical frame even more than a quickfire century.
I also love a long enthralling match but sadly the Crucible is the only place where this takes place now.
The world championship is like test cricket, the UK and the Masters one day, and the rest of the tournaments 20-20.”
“An excellent post.
I really enjoy a long tactical frame even more than a quickfire century.
I also love a long enthralling match but sadly the Crucible is the only place where this takes place now.
The world championship is like test cricket, the UK and the Masters one day, and the rest of the tournaments 20-20.”
There's also the International Championship which is best of 11 early rounds, best of 17 SF, and best of 19 final, thus making it the second longest tournament on the calendar.
I appreciate though that it goes under the radar a bit as it's in China / on Eurosport.
Gonna be a lot of sport for me to watch today. Watching the final and recording F1 and Leicester game.
Originally Posted by Terrence Chant:
“There's also the International Championship which is best of 11 early rounds, best of 17 SF, and best of 19 final, thus making it the second longest tournament on the calendar.
I appreciate though that it goes under the radar a bit as it's in China / on Eurosport.”
“There's also the International Championship which is best of 11 early rounds, best of 17 SF, and best of 19 final, thus making it the second longest tournament on the calendar.
I appreciate though that it goes under the radar a bit as it's in China / on Eurosport.”
I only have Freeview so have never seen it - I just wish the UK and Masters would return to a longer format.
Achieving the triple crown over a career is a very good indicator of a player's greatness.
Originally Posted by Stunty:
“Can the audience see the live BBC feed on the monitors above the table?”
“Can the audience see the live BBC feed on the monitors above the table?”
They see the same feed, but without the onscreen graphics and Dennis Taylors famous white lines.
Read an interesting stat ahead of today's final: Ding has won 11 out of the 14 ranking finals he's been in compared to Selby's 6 from 14.
That's very impressive from Ding, and rather makes a mockery of his supposed suspect temperament that some people would have you believe. For one thing you don't convert that many if you're poor under pressure, and furthermore two of those were from 3 down with 4 to play, and a decider in which he rolled in a cool 91 break.
That's very impressive from Ding, and rather makes a mockery of his supposed suspect temperament that some people would have you believe. For one thing you don't convert that many if you're poor under pressure, and furthermore two of those were from 3 down with 4 to play, and a decider in which he rolled in a cool 91 break.
Im hoping no commentator mentions Leicester winning the premiership if they do win it today because im recording it.
Originally Posted by Terrence Chant:
“Read an interesting stat ahead of today's final: Ding has won 11 out of the 14 ranking finals he's been in compared to Selby's 6 from 14.
That's very impressive from Ding, and rather makes a mockery of his supposed suspect temperament that some people would have you believe. For one thing you don't convert that many if you're poor under pressure, and furthermore two of those were from 3 down with 4 to play, and a decider in which he rolled in a cool 91 break.”
“Read an interesting stat ahead of today's final: Ding has won 11 out of the 14 ranking finals he's been in compared to Selby's 6 from 14.
That's very impressive from Ding, and rather makes a mockery of his supposed suspect temperament that some people would have you believe. For one thing you don't convert that many if you're poor under pressure, and furthermore two of those were from 3 down with 4 to play, and a decider in which he rolled in a cool 91 break.”
I think people dwell on that Masters defeat to Ronnie year ago. He's Matured enormously since then
Originally Posted by Darren Lethem:
“I think people dwell on that Masters defeat to Ronnie year ago. He's Matured enormously since then”
“I think people dwell on that Masters defeat to Ronnie year ago. He's Matured enormously since then”
Definitely. And who hasn't Ronnie totally mullered at some point or another?. Plus Ding went on to win the Masters a few years later, which is seldom mentioned in balance.
I didn't think we had an obesity crisis but looking at the Crucible audience the last two weeks I've changed my mind completely! Seems to be an epidemic of baldness and football shirts to go with it as well.
Originally Posted by Straker:
“I didn't think we had an obesity crisis but looking at the Crucible audience the last two weeks I've changed my mind completely! Seems to be an epidemic of baldness and football shirts to go with it as well.”
“I didn't think we had an obesity crisis but looking at the Crucible audience the last two weeks I've changed my mind completely! Seems to be an epidemic of baldness and football shirts to go with it as well.”
Back in the good old days of the Crucible, they dimmed the lights on the audience. These days should be bought back.
Originally Posted by Straker:
“I didn't think we had an obesity crisis but looking at the Crucible audience the last two weeks I've changed my mind completely! Seems to be an epidemic of baldness and football shirts to go with it as well.”
“I didn't think we had an obesity crisis but looking at the Crucible audience the last two weeks I've changed my mind completely! Seems to be an epidemic of baldness and football shirts to go with it as well.”
Definitely seen more football shirts this year than ever before. Seem to be common practice
The commentators spend far too long talking about the most insignificant things. I am sick to death of hearing about the cloth.
Originally Posted by pixel_pixel:
“The commentators spend far too long talking about the most insignificant things. I am sick to death of hearing about the cloth.”
“The commentators spend far too long talking about the most insignificant things. I am sick to death of hearing about the cloth.”
And the tip! It's like some lost Spitting Image skit with Steve Interesting Davis!
Originally Posted by pixel_pixel:
“The commentators spend far too long talking about the most insignificant things. I am sick to death of hearing about the cloth.”
“The commentators spend far too long talking about the most insignificant things. I am sick to death of hearing about the cloth.”
Originally Posted by Straker:
“And the tip! It's like some lost Spitting Image skit with Steve Interesting Davis!”
“And the tip! It's like some lost Spitting Image skit with Steve Interesting Davis!”
Im no multiple world champion but I would have thought the cloth and a players tip are far from insignificant. Essential to the game
Originally Posted by Darren Lethem:
“Im no multiple world champion but I would have thought the cloth and a players tip are far from insignificant. Essential to the game”
“Im no multiple world champion but I would have thought the cloth and a players tip are far from insignificant. Essential to the game”
It's the same as tennis commentators wittering on about the "titanium pigment" or whether the grass is 1mm shorter than last year. They have hours to fill so this is why we've had tip-talk for two days.
Tennis rackets break strings all the time but it warrants no more than a passing mention as they get another from the bag. You'd think they'd have another cue ready to go in preference to sticking the tip back on their one and only at short notice.
Bit of a nervy opening couple of frames. Should be 1-1 but Selby won the second frame after needing a snooker so it's 2-0.
Originally Posted by Straker:
“It's the same as tennis commentators wittering on about the "titanium pigment" or whether the grass is 1mm shorter than last year. They have hours to fill so this is why we've had tip-talk for two days.
Tennis rackets break strings all the time but it warrants no more than a passing mention as they get another from the bag. You'd think they'd have another cue ready to go in preference to sticking the tip back on their one and only at short notice.”
“It's the same as tennis commentators wittering on about the "titanium pigment" or whether the grass is 1mm shorter than last year. They have hours to fill so this is why we've had tip-talk for two days.
Tennis rackets break strings all the time but it warrants no more than a passing mention as they get another from the bag. You'd think they'd have another cue ready to go in preference to sticking the tip back on their one and only at short notice.”
Players tend to have the same cue for as long as possible, sometimes for life. For some reason it's all in the feel...although you'd think you could have a few duplicates, ask any top pro, they'll tell you that a 'replica' cue just doesn't play the same way.
Originally Posted by Darren Lethem:
“Im no multiple world champion but I would have thought the cloth and a players tip are far from insignificant. Essential to the game”
“Im no multiple world champion but I would have thought the cloth and a players tip are far from insignificant. Essential to the game”
You don't get football commentators talking about the length of the grass or the pattern its been cut in. Nor the boots their are using.
Ding struggling here, really should be 2-1 up not 3-0 down! Really think he needs to get at least 2 frames this afternoon and then win tonight's session 5-3. 4-4 would be nice though, can't beat a close game.
Regarding the cue, I think it's an ''all in the head'' mentality. Obviously these guys are pros and can play most shots on a replica cue with no issues but knowing it's just not the exact cue just plays tricks on the mind.
Regarding the cue, I think it's an ''all in the head'' mentality. Obviously these guys are pros and can play most shots on a replica cue with no issues but knowing it's just not the exact cue just plays tricks on the mind.
Originally Posted by Terrence Chant:
“Players tend to have the same cue for as long as possible, sometimes for life. For some reason it's all in the feel...although you'd think you could have a few duplicates, ask any top pro, they'll tell you that a 'replica' cue just doesn't play the same way.”
“Players tend to have the same cue for as long as possible, sometimes for life. For some reason it's all in the feel...although you'd think you could have a few duplicates, ask any top pro, they'll tell you that a 'replica' cue just doesn't play the same way.”
Equipment fails - Pros make allowances in advance. Unless you're a snooker player it seems!
If this one-sided contest continues the Beeb will be looking at some low viewing figures for tomorrow. How many frames do they play today?
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