Sonny wrote:I actually like the idea of Power Snooker as a concept, although to make it a proper game they need to get rid of the time constraints. That's where I have a problem with it. Powerball, smash the pack off the break, all that jazz but pot the powerball and you get double points for the next 5 shots or something, not based on a clock.
But I'll be watching it, I love snooker and I love watching the top players so I'll give it a chance, and if I decide to go I'll join in the atmosphere and have a few drinks because that's the idea isn't it? To get the crowd involved.
My final say on Ronnie's comments:
I'm the same age as Ronnie
- and John Higgins and Mark Williams for that matter - so I'm from the same generation, I grew up watching the same things as they did.
Your totally different people. Learn not to stand behind people & you'll grow uo quicker. Same said for all of us by the way.
At the age we are now, we should all know how the press take comments and use them. When you're young you still have things to learn, but Ronnie should have known how his comments would be reported, and they were direct quotes so there's no taking his words out of context going on. I'm very disappointed with him. He's a hero of mine, he's the best snooker player of my generation and I've had hours and hours of pleasure watching him play snooker because he's the best there's ever been in my opinion. And I know he's intelligent - you can't be as good at snooker as he is without being very intelligent, it goes without saying because snooker is a mental sport.
So when you're in a press conference with Barry Hearn, and you've got people from all newspapers there reporting, and you're promoting a new take on snooker which has tv time and it suits your game then fair play, you go there and promote it and you show enthusiasm. But to refer to it as the future of snooker is clearly bullocks because it isn't! How could it be? How can the kids play it at their local club - with stopwatches and countdowns? How does that work? We all know what kids are like:
"3, 2, 1... you're out of time, that's 20 points to me"
"No I'm not, you put me off, that wasn't 20 seconds"
etc etc
And then to say what he said about our blue ribband event, that it's boring... talk about how to alienate the entire fanbase of the sport that you supposedly love and has given you the life you lead.
I can understand and sympathise that he has demons and that his sentiments reflect the fact he is a restless personality with a short attention span, but really, saying things like that - how does he think it will come across? He was there to promote an event that suits his game, he will thrive in the "Power Snooker" atmosphere. But by saying what he's said he's kicked himself in the foot because instead of everyone talking about this "new exciting format" all that's happened is everyone is talking about the best snooker player of his generation thinking his sport is "boring" and that it's stuck in the 1970's.
If he really feels that way then why didn't he switch to pool years ago? That seems to be the game for him. It's quick and games are over in a flash - perfect!
I'm very disappointed to put it mildly.