Who is better? Wattana or Carter? (Another eras debate zzz)

When measuring greatness it is true that people measure it in different ways. Some people go on raw, pure natural talent but I prefer to take the 'Spock route' in that logically the best players win tournaments. Winning tournaments especially the longer ones such as UK and World's tests each player to the full in all areas such as how well you are cueing, temperament, consistency, bottle, nerve and concentration. All of those are key and if you can master those to win the most tournaments then how can one argue with that (in my opinion). Raw talent to me always seems to rely on 'what ifs' and 'buts' whilst tournament wins are irrefutable evidence.

Caledonian Craig wrote:When measuring greatness it is true that people measure it in different ways. Some people go on raw, pure natural talent but I prefer to take the 'Spock route' in that logically the best players win tournaments. Winning tournaments especially the longer ones such as UK and World's tests each player to the full in all areas such as how well you are cueing, temperament, consistency, bottle, nerve and concentration. All of those are key and if you can master those to win the most tournaments then how can one argue with that (in my opinion). Raw talent to me always seems to rely on 'what ifs' and 'buts' whilst tournament wins are irrefutable evidence.

thats the point

Stephen Hendry Ticks Every Box there is to be ticked

Wild wrote:thats the point

Stephen Hendry Ticks Every Box there is to be ticked

I always knew he ticked your boxes.

Yes Wild. The counter-argument comes when people question why he never carried on winning into the 2000's. Hendry as said himself that since around 2000 he has suffered from the yips where his cue just isn't going through as smoothly as it used to and affects his positional play etc. Shows that blighted with that he can still boast losing a final frame decider in a world final which he lost but getting there with such a handicap is an achievement in itself and the fact he can still hang around the top 16.

Caledonian Craig wrote:Yes Wild. The counter-argument comes when people question why he never carried on winning into the 2000's. Hendry as said himself that since around 2000 he has suffered from the yips where his cue just isn't going through as smoothly as it used to and affects his positional play etc. Shows that blighted with that he can still boast losing a final frame decider in a world final which he lost but getting there with such a handicap is an achievement in itself and the fact he can still hang around the top 16.

why did it take Ronnie 9 years to win a World Title ? Who Knows.

By the time Stephen was 30 he had done it all bought the T Shirt time after time after time he did not have a real Goal left where as John,Ronnie and Mark got Stephen so far ahead of them they got the inspiration of trying and sorry to say failing to get near him maybe if they had got closer earlier that could have been the Real Driving force to push Stephen on.

Wild wrote:

Caledonian Craig wrote:Yes Wild. The counter-argument comes when people question why he never carried on winning into the 2000's. Hendry as said himself that since around 2000 he has suffered from the yips where his cue just isn't going through as smoothly as it used to and affects his positional play etc. Shows that blighted with that he can still boast losing a final frame decider in a world final which he lost but getting there with such a handicap is an achievement in itself and the fact he can still hang around the top 16.

why did it take Ronnie 9 years to win a World Title ? Who Knows.

By the time Stephen was 30 he had done it all bought the T Shirt time after time after time he did not have a real Goal left where as John,Ronnie and Mark got Stephen so far ahead of them they got the inspiration of trying and sorry to say failing to get near him maybe if they had got closer earlier that could have been the Real Driving force to push Stephen on.

so if Hendry had no real goal or motivation at age 30 then why 12years later is he still playing ?

whats his goals and motivations now? cos if he couldnt win any of the big ones in the 00's surely heven he must accept in the 10s hes prett much doing what Davis did when he was in his 40s - playing for the love of the game and happy competiting and claiming the odd scalp.

going through the motions of playing all he knows ....

but lets face it once he reached Steves 6 WC all he had was to get past that and he did then slowly but suerly he started winding down from the player he was.

everyone else coming up has records hes set to aim for.

Oh Hendry still has the motivation of that I am certain. Having the yips is a big handicap but the competitive side to him and the love of competition (much like Davis) drives him on.

There's no doubt that those who have seen it and done it and those whose families become more important lose the edge. If that weren't the case then Williams/Higgins/Ronnie would have shared the last 10/12 world titles straight between them. No-one even close to them has come through the ranks in that time that's the honest truth.
One or two are getting closer now, perhaps Ding the closest but still really way off. That's why they are still able to pick off titles when they put the extra effort in, all three are classic examples of that. Williams and Higgins are winning titles and Ronnie could if he got his head down to practice and out of that dark ol hole

Caledonian Craig wrote:Oh Hendry still has the motivation of that I am certain. Having the yips is a big handicap but the competitive side to him and the love of competition (much like Davis) drives him on.

Yeah but they are very different animals Craig. Davis doesn't care if he gets 15 breaks of 1 and clears to the blue to win a frame. Hendry still expects a century every two frames. And therein lies Hendry's biggest problem to my mind. He's a slightly better version of Jimmy, only one way to win

The other thing with Hendry is I think he's a bit of a snooker snob. I think he believes he should be seeded through to the last 32 for life... Might be getting a shock soon. He refuses to be an elder statesman and battle it out shot for shot. imo.

How much longer he continues remains to be seen depending on form, results and ranking I would have thought.