John Higgins wins on return to action

It's a British institiution like the Grand National and Wimbledon and you don't hear attention defecit hammers going around saying they should be reduced.

Back on topic

It really is good to see John Higgins back. We've been closely following all these PTC events and the occasional ranker since he was banned but today should really hit home to everyone just how good a player he really is. I can't think of any other player who could come back from what he's been through and put in the performances he has in his first day back as a professional. No matter what you think of the whole NotW sting, you've gotta hand it to him as a snooker player.

Sonny wrote:I would say Murphy, Robertson, Selby and Ding will be the prominent 4 of this decade.

they might have success but collectively they wont dominate.

Murphy, Robertson and Selby will be well past their peaks by the end of the decade, age wise as well plus you have to consider they have already been successful players of the last half of this decade.

I predict by the middle of this decade these 3 will have started to decline.

Ding has done this too but has age on his side and is a definite contender to be one of the dominant players this decade.

For me, Trump is the most likely to emerge and dominate, it my take a few more years till he is among the best players in the world but once he gets that winning habit i feel he will kick on from there.

Others like Lisowski, Brecel, White and McGill are my tips for success.

Ultimate_snooker wrote:

likelylad wrote:

StalinESQ wrote:very sad day for snooker......................especially for poor old AUSTRALIAN Quinten Hann, what a travesty that rules are bent, cover ups hatched and life goes on as if nothing happened.

hear hear!

justice has been done...75k and 6 months ban for inocence... should be quits now.

what you have liked to have happened?

Hung

StalinESQ wrote:

Ultimate_snooker wrote:

likelylad wrote:

StalinESQ wrote:very sad day for snooker......................especially for poor old AUSTRALIAN Quinten Hann, what a travesty that rules are bent, cover ups hatched and life goes on as if nothing happened.

hear hear!

justice has been done...75k and 6 months ban for inocence... should be quits now.

what you have liked to have happened?

Hung

a bit strong that

Sonny wrote:It's a British institiution like the Grand National and Wimbledon and you don't hear attention defecit hammers going around saying they should be reduced.

For the record im 100% behind the WC not being tampered with. The long format makes this championship so unique and what it is, not the mention all the history and traditions.

However unlike others, im open to change elsewhere to bring the game into the 21st century. And a shot clock ranker is now my latest wish to see appear on the calendar soon. With 22 ranking events next season and possibly even more to arrive, it will be good to see one on the tour to add some more variety and as players will be able to pick and chose what events they play in, if they dont like it they can always give it a miss.

Dr

I think not.

StalinESQ wrote:Dr

I think not.

why?

Ultimate_snooker wrote:

StalinESQ wrote:Dr

I think not.

why?

NotW

thetubberlad wrote:

Sonny wrote:The players should have no say in the matter. They are there to play, not to determine the format. It's down to Hearn ultimately that the WCs format remains as it is and if I ever meet the man it will be one of the first things I talk to him about.

I've always backed the man, I think he's done a stunning job thus far, but it would genuinely be dismantled if the worlds were reduced.

i will personally dismantle the mans balls from his body if anything happens to the WC.

Sonny wrote:Back on topic

It really is good to see John Higgins back. We've been closely following all these PTC events and the occasional ranker since he was banned but today should really hit home to everyone just how good a player he really is. I can't think of any other player who could come back from what he's been through and put in the performances he has in his first day back as a professional. No matter what you think of the whole NotW sting, you've gotta hand it to him as a snooker player.

Sonny wrote:It's a British institiution like the Grand National and Wimbledon and you don't hear attention defecit hammers going around saying they should be reduced.

Don't use the Grand National as an example as a horseracing man, I can honestly say that the purists hate it, and I'm firmly in agreement. It's a bullocks race run by ugly powerful beasts rather than graceful animals, bundling over stupidly high and odd looking obstacles.

See the Gold Cup or Champion Chase for races of beauty

How far off-topic have I just gone

Witz78 wrote:

Sonny wrote:It's a British institiution like the Grand National and Wimbledon and you don't hear attention defecit hammers going around saying they should be reduced.

For the record im 100% behind the WC not being tampered with. The long format makes this championship so unique and what it is, not the mention all the history and traditions.

However unlike others, im open to change elsewhere to bring the game into the 21st century. And a shot clock ranker is now my latest wish to see appear on the calendar soon. With 22 ranking events next season and possibly even more to arrive, it will be good to see one on the tour to add some more variety and as players will be able to pick and chose what events they play in, if they don't like it they can always give it a miss.

Hardly 22 rankers when the public can't access all of them and only 9 are televised.

Anyway, I think the shot clock works when the players are playing well. However when they are off form it makes things much worse, many matches in this years league have taken over 2 hours for 6 frames. The players rush, play negative safety etc....over the 96 players with mixed styles I predict a car crash.

However I am open to other format changes such as reduced frames and set play.

Whatever he wins or doesn't win from here doesn't prove anything regarding his innocence or not in the case.
And sorry guys but how long to you need to send on text on your mobile to ask for a meeting with authorities coz something isn't looking right? Don't be kidding yourselves: he had plenty of time to react in those 24 hours. He didn't. That does not prove he was actually intending to fix matches, but he definitely didn't comply with the rules and he knows it.

Monique wrote:Whatever he wins or doesn't win from here doesn't prove anything regarding his innocence or not in the case.
And sorry guys but how long to you need to send on text on your mobile to ask for a meeting with authorities coz something isn't looking right? Don't be kidding yourselves: he had plenty of time to react in those 24 hours. He didn't. That does not prove he was actually intending to fix matches, but he definitely didn't comply with the rules and he knows it.

I didn't say what he wins would make a difference to innocence or guilt. He is innocent as was found by the tribunal.

As for not reporting it, he knows it was wrong and 6 months plus £75k with legal fees on top is a hell of a lot to pay for that mistake.

Monique
I imagine he would want to discuss it with someone before calling Hearn, maybe his wife or brother. The surrounding circumstances mean't he couldn't confide in his manager and wouldn't want to worry his father. Plus being unaware of the NotW involvement he didn't know there was a clock ticking.

sundaygirl wrote:Monique
I imagine he would want to discuss it with someone before calling Hearn, maybe his wife or brother. The surrounding circumstances mean't he couldn't confide in his manager and wouldn't want to worry his father. Plus being unaware of the NotW involvement he didn't know there was a clock ticking.

True. My point was really when people compare it to Hann who had over 1 year to report the approach on him.