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A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Snooker Overdrive

This is my 1000. post. I want to make this one special.

I have been registered on this forum for nearly a year now and I enjoyed it thoroughly. This is - without a doubt - the best snooker forum on the world wide web. Before Snooker Island I frequently read on BBC 606 and it was awful but fortunately a user brought up a link of this website and here I am.
A forum can be too small (too few post lead to no proper discussions), it can be too big (too much traffic and no familiar feeling), the people writing may be uptight or worse don't have clue about what's going on - Snooker Island is pretty much perfect. Normally I don't post that much on forums but this one made it really easy for me - it's entertaining here and I know that the people here care about snooker as much as I do. I think it's also great that there's a lot of diversity among the top posters - it's so boring if everyone supports the same player and everyone has the same opinion. I also want to include the likes of Vodkadiet here - some are annoyed by his constant trolling but I just see it as entertainment - at least he's trying hard. But now back to the proper users. A lot of people here have been watching snooker for a real long time and so it's fantastic that I can have sophisticated discussions about snooker achievements, statistics and trivia from the past with all of you.

This is a great forum, this is the home of the real snooker fans. I'm very glad I found it.

A thank you to all involved. Snooker Overdrive.

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Witz78

you might have already said on here mate but how did you get into snooker cos there seems to be quite a few of yous on here too who only suddenly got into snooker which is prob more interesting than people like myself whoi have just always been into it so cant really pinpoint an exact moment we got into it

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Roland

Retweet :redneck:

Thanks for this and congrats on your 1000 :D


Note - we will be switching to vBulletin in the near future with extra features including finally the Shotmaker in effort to grow, but the forum will remain largely unchanged.

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Tubberlad

Cheers mate, I hope you continue to post! Probably not the wisest move to mention Vodkadiet in your post, you're digging a hole for yourself there haha, but other than that, it's fantastic to hear you're enjoying yourself here, that's our aim.

And particularly nice to see this coming from a strong O'Sullivan fan, that might dispell the myth about this site being anti-O'Sullivan.

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby king.kauto

I must say, i was over the moon when I foumd this site , it really is top notch.
Love reading and replying to the threads on here.
Congrats on the 1000th post mate.

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby mediter

Modern day discussion forums and blogs are all about knawladge, personal views, personal likes and dislikes and good stuff like that, not manipulation like some people not going to mention who came here their trumpet´s playing...

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Witz78

mediter wrote:Modern day discussion forums and blogs are all about knawladge, personal views, personal likes and dislikes and good stuff like that, not manipulation like some people not going to mention who came here their trumpet´s playing...


eat your heart out Wild <laugh>

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby mishcka

Tubberlad wrote:Cheers mate, I hope you continue to post! Probably not the wisest move to mention Vodkadiet in your post, you're digging a hole for yourself there haha, but other than that, it's fantastic to hear you're enjoying yourself here, that's our aim.

And particularly nice to see this coming from a strong O'Sullivan fan, that might dispell the myth about this site being anti-O'Sullivan.


yet despite all this anti ronnie vibe, when he plays well, he gets appluaded by the forum members.
it shows that this is one of the best places to debate snooker online ;-)

:hatoff: :hatoff: :hatoff:
cannot wait for my 1000th post :happy: :happy:

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Roland

anti-Ronnie vibe? Not sure about that. I think it's a fair representation of the snooker fanbase. Not everyone thinks the sun shines out of his bottom at all times.

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Roland

It's alright, I've heard the "Snooker Island is anti-Ronnie O'Sullivan" thing a few times but I take it with a pinch of salt seeing as who starts these things off in the first place.

As a general rule, I think it's always good to check out how old the poster is who writes comments before reacting to some things said on forums. I think a lot of people could learn from that approach.

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Witz78 wrote:you might have already said on here mate but how did you get into snooker cos there seems to be quite a few of yous on here too who only suddenly got into snooker which is prob more interesting than people like myself whoi have just always been into it so cant really pinpoint an exact moment we got into it


Good question. I'm now 21 and I started watching snooker in 2006. It was late August and I happened to watch some TV. I switched to Eurosport and suddenly it all started. Some guys where standing at a green table and potting balls. I don't know who played but it wasn't Ronnie. Normally I switched channels at this point but this time I kept watching (before I only watched football and snooker flew completley under the radar for me). Suddenly I became really interested - the mood, the quietness and steady ball potting. It was completley different to all other sports. I started basic research and looked at the world rankings. Stephen Hendry was No.1, Ken Doherty No.2 and Ronnie No.3. In the following days I again tuned in and started getting to know some top players. I was even more fascinated at the moment I first saw Ronnie. He played Stuart Pettman. I can't say he played well he just edged the match 5-4 but there was something special about him - just the way he walked around the table and how he stroke the ball got me hooked. He commentator said something like: "Ronnie O'Sullivan wanted to take a snooker break after the last season. Fortunately he didn't." and "Now he tries to take more time for his shots, he played a lot faster the previous seasons.". I knew immediately that Ronnie was somewhat of a special case unlike Stephen Hendry who I also liked - he also was majestic on and off the table. I also got to know a very young Ding Junhui who eventually won the final against Ronnie. But Ronnie blew on his way to the final Ryan Day 5-1 and Dominic Dale 6-0 away in an unbelievable fashion and won me completely over.

More to follow ...

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Bourne

Witz78 wrote:Yeh thats why i accept Wilds poor spelling and punctuation cos hes just a kid of er, 40+

He's celebrating his 40th birthday again in February :D

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Tubberlad

Sonny wrote:anti-Ronnie vibe? Not sure about that. I think it's a fair representation of the snooker fanbase. Not everyone thinks the sun shines out of his bottom at all times.

There are as many anti-Higgins posters as there are anti-Sullivan posters, there are as many pro-Sullivan posters as there are pro-Higgins posters. You will always take more notice of comments that you don't agree with, at times I've felt like the whole place is on Higgins' side when they play, but if you look at it objectively then that is not the case.

As an O'Sullivan fan myself, I do not in any way feel that being anti-O'Sullivan is part of being a member here...I'm a mod so that blows that theory out of the water.

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Snooker Overdrive

After that tournament my snooker interest cooled down a bit, I even missed the Grand Prix, but than the UK 2006 came along. The infamous Ronnie concession was very unpleasant but it changed nothing to me as a fan. I kept on watching the tournament and I can still recall two matches very well: Ebdon beat Ding in a great quarter final and of course the big final. I supported Hendry and he started well but we all know who that match ended. Of course then the 2007 Masters came along. This tournament won me completely over and didn't miss a tournament since. Ronnie blew Carter away in terrific fashion, then he beat Doherty in a nail biting match in which Ken missed the match ball being 5-4 up. He won a scrappy semi final against Maguire and then he played in the final against the at the time overwhelming great Ding Junhui. Ding started great and went 2-0 up and I thought - damn it no way this boy is just too good. But then Ronnie turned it on like I never dreamed it would be possible. I still think it was the greatest performance I ever saw from Ronnie (but that might be subjective). At the end Ronnie blew Ding virtually off the table and won this 3. Masters title. I still consider this as the greatest Ronnie victory because it was the first title I ever witnessed and his performance was out-of-this-world-brilliant.

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Witz78

Tubberlad wrote:
Sonny wrote:anti-Ronnie vibe? Not sure about that. I think it's a fair representation of the snooker fanbase. Not everyone thinks the sun shines out of his bottom at all times.

There are as many anti-Higgins posters as there are anti-Sullivan posters, there are as many pro-Sullivan posters as there are pro-Higgins posters. You will always take more notice of comments that you don't agree with, at times I've felt like the whole place is on Higgins' side when they play, but if you look at it objectively then that is not the case.

As an O'Sullivan fan myself, I do not in any way feel that being anti-O'Sullivan is part of being a member here...I'm a mod so that blows that theory out of the water.


you say there are as many Higgins haters as I am some twats is telling

after what HE did he should easily be the most hated player ever so Ronnies clearly hated by a lot here if the hatred for Ronnie can rival that bald fat cheating son of a gun scumbag

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby mishcka

Snooker Overdrive wrote:
Witz78 wrote:you might have already said on here mate but how did you get into snooker cos there seems to be quite a few of yous on here too who only suddenly got into snooker which is prob more interesting than people like myself whoi have just always been into it so cant really pinpoint an exact moment we got into it


Good question. I'm now 21 and I started watching snooker in 2006. It was late August and I happened to watch some TV. I switched to Eurosport and suddenly it all started. Some guys where standing at a green table and potting balls. I don't know who played but it wasn't Ronnie. Normally I switched channels at this point but this time I kept watching (before I only watched football and snooker flew completley under the radar for me). Suddenly I became really interested - the mood, the quietness and steady ball potting. It was completley different to all other sports. I started basic research and looked at the world rankings. Stephen Hendry was No.1, Ken Doherty No.2 and Ronnie No.3. In the following days I again tuned in and started getting to know some top players. I was even more fascinated at the moment I first saw Ronnie. He played Stuart Pettman. I can't say he played well he just edged the match 5-4 but there was something special about him - just the way he walked around the table and how he stroke the ball got me hooked. He commentator said something like: "Ronnie O'Sullivan wanted to take a snooker break after the last season. Fortunately he didn't." and "Now he tries to take more time for his shots, he played a lot faster the previous seasons.". I knew immediately that Ronnie was somewhat of a special case unlike Stephen Hendry who I also liked - he also was majestic on and off the table. I also got to know a very young Ding Junhui who eventually won the final against Ronnie. But Ronnie blew on his way to the final Ryan Day 5-1 and Dominic Dale 6-0 away in an unbelievable fashion and won me completely over.
More to follow ...


That reminds of how I got into snooker, at times i feel bit sad coz where I grew up snooker did not exist. I would've loved to watch Hendry in his prime, some of the epic finals in the late 1990, or Ronnie before 2006!

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Tubberlad

Ronnie's best season was 2004/05... he was stunning. The Ebdon match set him back quite a way, he deserved to be World Champion that year based on how far ahead of the competition he was, but that's the beauty of snooker... it's as much about mentality as ability.

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Tubberlad wrote:Cheers mate, I hope you continue to post! Probably not the wisest move to mention Vodkadiet in your post, you're digging a hole for yourself there haha, but other than that, it's fantastic to hear you're enjoying yourself here, that's our aim.

And particularly nice to see this coming from a strong O'Sullivan fan, that might dispell the myth about this site being anti-O'Sullivan.


Yes I'm here to stay.

The thing about vodkadiet - I don't have a problem with him, I take it with a smile - anyone who has can put him on the foe list and block his comments.

I always was a very big Ronnie fan and I will support him as long as he will play snooker. But I'm also a big fan of the game I don't just turn off the TV once Ronnie's out. It's called "Snooker Overdrive" not "Ronnie Overdrive".

I think a lot of our top posters don't really like Ronnie as a person (SnookerFan, Bourne :wave:, Casey) but they all appreciate his performances on the table. And that is OK. There are some haters but not many (or at least say it out loud).

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Wildey

how the bloody hell has my name been mentioned 3 or 4 times on a thread that has nothing at all to do with me :grrr:

anyway back on topic that was a touching speach mate <ok>

yes the strength of Snooker Island over any other forum is it Rides with the Punches so well. and Banter is part of that.

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Andre147

Yes, good posts here, I am one of the newest members here on Snooker Island, I first noticed this website on a link in the Pro Snooker Blog, a website which I have been following since it started. I didn´t become a member here straitaway, but, as I kept reading the comments and the different kinds of posts around here, I decided to become one, and, since more or less a month ago, have really enjoyed it.

I can clearly see that the people here know a lot about snooker, and most of them are die hard fans like me, they more or less respect the players, and, lyke you said, respect a player when he plays well and deserved his win. this is indeed a very good forum to discuss all things around the snooker world, and I have learned a lot also from here. I was also one that used to read on the 66 posts on the BBc website, but soon came to find out that it was just a bunch of fools who knew absolutely nothing about snooker and the main subject for all the posts were: the rivalary between Osullivan fans and hendry fans, who kept posting offensive remarks about both players. I started watching snooker, like some of you, via Eurosport, around the 2003/2004 season... I was very young then and didn´t know much about this beatiful sport, the first game I think I watched was one match in the 2003 Uk champs between paul hunter and Mathew Stevens (cant remember exacly), but, at the time, didnt pay much attention to it and often just switched channel. But then, at some point, I started to really pay attention to it, and started to view the tv guides on europort to see when the snooker was on. Some time later, I soon began to search some websites, and then I became more an more interested, started viewing a lot of statistics about the game and videos on youtube from the 80s and 90s, the times from joe davis era, well, pretty much everything... I can honestly say I really am a die hard fan for this sport, because I just love it.

Ronnie, as you might see, is my favourite player, for the way he playes, the way he makes this game so so so easy at times, when in fact its not.. compared to him only alex higgins and jimmy white maybe at their primes, but, still, Ronnie for me is the most talentd gifted player ever to grace the game. But I like a lot other players too, like Robertson, Selby, Dott, Ding, Steve Davis and Hendry of course, Williams a lot too, and so on...

And thats about it from me, and a very warm thank you to all you snooker fans, and, of course, to Snooker island. :-D

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby SnookerFan

Sonny wrote:anti-Ronnie vibe? Not sure about that. I think it's a fair representation of the snooker fanbase. Not everyone thinks the sun shines out of his bottom at all times.


A lof of players on here are Ronnie fans though. Farcical comment. Only people who think that watching Ronnie and watching snooker are the same thing would think this. :sad:

Other then that, a well congratulated 1000 posts. :mex:

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Roland

Great to see people here who got into snooker through Eurosport. And yes Overdrive, when Ronnie beat Ding in the Masters final he was unplayable.

Re: A thank you to Snooker Island

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Sonny wrote:Great to see people here who got into snooker through Eurosport. And yes Overdrive, when Ronnie beat Ding in the Masters final he was unplayable.


Without Eurosport I wouldn't be a snooker fan now. But it's not only me without their extensive coverage snooker wouldn't have grown on mainland Europe. Eurosport's part in the sports recent recovery is massive.