Topic locked

Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness) STEVENS WINS

Postby Bourne

Image

A new year and a new format for the longest running shot-clock event in the sport. This year there are 10 players competing in an overall group-stage, with, once again, 4 semi-finalists going through to the finals weekend in Norfolk in November. Each week there will be 2 semi-finals and a final. Week one sees World Open winner Neil Robertson take on Welshman Matthew Stevens, who won the annual Championship League 'qualifier' to reach this event. In the other semi-final, World, UK and Welsh Open champion John Higgins takes on World Seniors winner Jimmy White, with the two winners facing eachother in the final.
The 10 competing players are:

Allister Carter
Ding Junhui
John Higgins
Shaun Murphy
Ronnie O'Sullivan
Neil Robertson
Matthew Stevens
Judd Trump
Jimmy White
Mark Williams
______________________
Week One: Thursday 18 August (19:30 BST)

John Higgins 3-0 Jimmy White
Neil Robertson 0-3 Matthew Stevens


Final: John Higgins 0-3 Matthew Stevens
______________________
Live coverage will be on Sky Sports.
______________________
LINKS:
Premier League
Fixtures
Prediction Contest

Live-Scoring

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Wildey

SnookerFan wrote:I'm still waiting for them to return to Croydon like they did five years ago.

is the building still standing ? :chin:

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby SnookerFan

Wild wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:I'm still waiting for them to return to Croydon like they did five years ago.

is the building still standing ? :chin:


Actually, good point. I've not been up that part of town yet. rofl

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Wildey

SnookerFan wrote:Good line up this week as well.

:bowdown:

well they all qualified via the criteria im still not sure of Jimmy though...had Barry Pinches won the seniors would he be in the league :?

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby SnookerFan

Wild wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:Good line up this week as well.

:bowdown:

well they all qualified via the criteria im still not sure of Jimmy though...had Barry Pinches won the seniors would he be in the league :?


Yeah, true. The Seniors tournament doesn't mean as much as World Snooker makes out it does. 'Jimmy finally a world champion'. <laugh> But his form was better last season, and he made a few venues. Though, you're right. His inclusion is a bit of a Jimmy-card.

I'd have no problem watching John Higgins play Jimmy White, mind.

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Witz78

hopefully the criteria will be changed next season so Bingham aint involved.

I kinda agree with the Seniors winner being in the PL as its good for the PL nostalgia wise to have one of the old legends still involved.

The only bad omission from the PL this year is Selby.

Id prefer the criteria to be

Masters winner
UK winner
World Champs winner
World Seniors champ
Championship League winner
Premier League winner
highest 3 on the world rankings not fitting any of the above criteria
one wildcard

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Wildey

Witz78 wrote:
I kinda agree with the Seniors winner being in the PL as its good for the PL nostalgia wise to have one of the old legends still involved.


fair point BUT you do not call it a major if hasbeens get a chance to qualify.

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Witz78

Wild wrote:
Witz78 wrote:
I kinda agree with the Seniors winner being in the PL as its good for the PL nostalgia wise to have one of the old legends still involved.


fair point BUT you do not call it a major if hasbeens get a chance to qualify.


well the Masters was always a major when wildcards were there

plus has beens always have the chance to qualify for the UK and WC every season so does that make them no longer majors too.

Hendrys a has been and hes involved for starters <laugh>

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Wildey

Witz78 wrote:
Wild wrote:
Witz78 wrote:
I kinda agree with the Seniors winner being in the PL as its good for the PL nostalgia wise to have one of the old legends still involved.


fair point BUT you do not call it a major if hasbeens get a chance to qualify.


well the Masters was always a major when wildcards were there

plus has beens always have the chance to qualify for the UK and WC every season so does that make them no longer majors too.

Hendrys a has been and hes involved for starters <laugh>

the different is anyone from 15 up to 90 can get wild cards......if hasbeens gets in to the top 16 thats because they good enough ...

looking forward to see Luca Brecel playing in the World Seniors thia year <doh>

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby SnookerFan

I'd love it if Bingham got in, triumph of the underdog. :bowdown: I can't see the bloke winning another ranker now, so I don't see why he shouldn't cash in on it.

Though, it'd not fit in with the tournament being called The Premier League, I guess. rofl

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Wildey

in a funny way im looking forward to this and persanally like the changes and now it defines it as entertainment rather than sport.

before people was talking about it as a 4th major that it was not and these changes just rubber stamps it.

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Witz78

Wild wrote:in a funny way im looking forward to this and persanally like the changes and now it defines it as entertainment rather than sport.

before people was talking about it as a 4th major that it was not and these changes just rubber stamps it.


its still effectively a league though

but the new format makes it more exciting as it could get stale before

now every week will be total action as itll not be a case of players happy with a 3-3 draw

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Bourne

Draws were a big turn-off over the years it has to be said, that's one thing the yanks get right, they never settle for draws, always some crazy-ass way of getting winners.

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Wildey

anyone living in southampton area

Week 8 - November 3 - Guildhall, Southampton
Semi-finals: Ronnie O'Sullivan v Judd Trump, Neil Robertson v Ding Junhui.
Final: O'Sullivan or Trump v Robertson or Ding.

that should be a good nights snooker

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Bourne

Just browsing through them and sods law next week is the one closest to me but i'm starting a new job Monday and gona be snowed under, ah well. These PL nights are gona be good fun though, as long as you don't go into it thinking it's going to be all serious and rigid ... I've seen on Sky's advert they're already bumming Jimmy White, the only name they actually mentioned :chuckle:

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Wildey

Bourne wrote:Just browsing through them and sods law next week is the one closest to me but i'm starting a new job Monday and gona be snowed under, ah well. These PL nights are gona be good fun though, as long as you don't go into it thinking it's going to be all serious and rigid ... I've seen on Sky's advert they're already bumming Jimmy White, the only name they actually mentioned :chuckle:

for the life of me what is the point of that they tune in to see the whirwind and get at best a draft no disrespect to the guy a living legend but hes not fast or breathtaking no more....

if he was starting out today not knowing the history of the sport he would be compared to Dave Harold.

they should be selling Judd,Ding etc

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby SnookerFan

Bourne wrote:Just browsing through them and sods law next week is the one closest to me but i'm starting a new job Monday and gona be snowed under, ah well. These PL nights are gona be good fun though, as long as you don't go into it thinking it's going to be all serious and rigid ... I've seen on Sky's advert they're already bumming Jimmy White, the only name they actually mentioned :chuckle:


Yeah, I saw that. rofl

"Featuring all the big names, including the legend Jimmy White." rofl <doh> :john:

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby SnookerFan

Wild wrote:
Bourne wrote:Just browsing through them and sods law next week is the one closest to me but i'm starting a new job Monday and gona be snowed under, ah well. These PL nights are gona be good fun though, as long as you don't go into it thinking it's going to be all serious and rigid ... I've seen on Sky's advert they're already bumming Jimmy White, the only name they actually mentioned :chuckle:

for the life of me what is the point of that they tune in to see the whirwind and get at best a draft no disrespect to the guy a living legend but hes not fast or breathtaking no more....

if he was starting out today not knowing the history of the sport he would be compared to Dave Harold.

they should be selling Judd,Ding etc


They'll be bumming Judd big style this season, don't worry. World Snooker/Commentary teams heard the cheers he got at The Crucible after his China Open success, and will be marketing him as the next big thing.

When it comes to the marketing of Jimmy, I can see why they do it. It is stupid marketing as a serious contender these days, but people do still like to pretend that he is. Hearn should use any of the players that are popular to promote the sport. He's there to bring in fans and to worry about the problem of half-full arenas. It only makes sense to use popular players. Even if the popular players are 200 years old.

But, like you, I agree we also need to big-up the young talent, otherwise nobody will be interested in them. Which is why Judd's sudden popularity is a good thing for snooker, even if it is bandwagon jumping. It's somebody who isn't Ronnie/Jimmy that people are interested in. We can use that.

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby SnookerFan

sundaygirl wrote:It gets a mention as (Thursdays) "best live sport" in the Radio Times with a picture of John Higgins.


rofl

I'll take that to mean that even the shoddiest snooker event is better then the best of all other sports that day combined.

Tottenham are playing Hearts in the Europa League, by the way.

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Witz78

funny with Trumps rise in popularity and seen as a potential heir to the Peoples Champion because i know 2-3 years ago Selby became quite popular among casual snooker fans who were maybe just getting back into the sport, but hes kinda the forgotten man almost now in that sense. I guess to be a Peoples Champion you really have to play the game in a high risk all or nothing manner that gives your fans a rollercoaster of emotions and drama.

Re: Premier League 2011: Week 1 (Skegness)

Postby Wildey

Witz78 wrote:funny with Trumps rise in popularity and seen as a potential heir to the Peoples Champion because i know 2-3 years ago Selby became quite popular among casual snooker fans who were maybe just getting back into the sport, but hes kinda the forgotten man almost now in that sense. I guess to be a Peoples Champion you really have to play the game in a high risk all or nothing manner that gives your fans a rollercoaster of emotions and drama.

Selby is not forgotten but its time he does start to produce.

nobody has played snooker to a higher standard the last 3 years but he falls short next match or in the death..