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DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Wildey

http://www.110sport.tv/News/354-DON_T_C ... ENDRY.aspx

SNOOKER’S greatest ever player today issued a ‘hands off’ warning to anyone thinking about tampering with the format for the World Championship.

Stephen Hendry, a seven-times winner at The Crucible, is opposed to a shortening of snooker’s premier event, which will take place over 17 days next month.

Reigning world champion John Higgins recently suggested that the final could be played over a day.

But Hendry says the world championship is special – and should remain so.

“The world championship is the true test of a player, of his ability, his temperament and ultimately his standing in the game at that time,” he told 110sport TV.

“In the past, I might have considered making changes, but that was at a time when there were more events than there are today. But if it isn’t broken why fix it?

“But the world championship should stand alone,” said Hendry who 20 years ago next month became the youngest-ever winner of the title.

“I wouldn’t like to see the format tampered with. I think there is scope to try different things with different tournaments.

“You only have to look at the ticket sales. It is the only tournament that is sold out from start to finish. The fans love it, the players love it and it has a massive TV audience.”

But the Scot says he is all for changes if it helps snooker.

“I think there are several things that could be done. I don’t see any reason for instance, why we can’t play two matches in a day if ultimately it shortens some tournaments and therefore keeps costs down.

“I don’t see any reason why that wouldn’t work. Those turning up at The Crucible next month will play the equivalent of two matches in a day – so where is the problem doing that?”

Hendry is in Beijing for the Sanyuan Foods China Open next week and says he needs to have a decent run ahead of Sheffield.

“People will consider this event important because it is the last one before The Crucible. But I am taking this one on its own.

“I’ve had a poor season by my standards. I haven’t won two matches back-to-back this far so now wouldn’t be a bad time to start because while I’m happy enough with how I am playing, I badly need some results.”


despite what many people might think this is not braught up from the point of view of the World Championship But from the point ive underlined how would that seriously work playing two games in a day the only two scinarios i can see is.

with 4 Table set up play Last 16 in the morning and afternoon with Quarter Finals at night or with a 2 table set up play Quarter Finals in the Morning and Afternoon with the Semi Finals at night.

personally id hate it squashed up like that.

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Smart

BUT at least his solutions give more integrity/credibility to the game than actually shortening matches...... I think he came across very well in that interview.

Q: Do Hendo and Higgo get along - in a friendship type of way.....? (not that there is anything wrong with a difference of opinion) <ok>

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Roland

Apparently not.

Anyway, this is absolutely nail on head territory and is worthy of it's own t-shirt:

“You only have to look at the ticket sales. It is the only tournament that is sold out from start to finish. The fans love it, the players love it and it has a massive TV audience.”

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Wildey

1 thing that must never happen is shortening WC Matches i agree.

as he said “The world championship is the true test of a player, of his ability, his temperament and ultimately his standing in the game at that time,”

i think the WC tests a players staying power and temperament other tournaments has never done.

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Smart

Sonny wrote:Apparently not.

Anyway, this is absolutely nail on head territory and is worthy of it's own t-shirt:

“You only have to look at the ticket sales. It is the only tournament that is sold out from start to finish. The fans love it, the players love it and it has a massive TV audience.”


thats a lot of words for a t-shirt - perhaps for an elephant sized t-shirt......... <laugh>

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Roland

Yeah t-shirts on the brain as they've been despatched. I nearly edited the post and removed that reference but I couldn't be bothered.

:fart:

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Rocket_ron

StalinESQ wrote:
Sonny wrote:Apparently not.

Anyway, this is absolutely nail on head territory and is worthy of it's own t-shirt:

“You only have to look at the ticket sales. It is the only tournament that is sold out from start to finish. The fans love it, the players love it and it has a massive TV audience.”


thats a lot of words for a t-shirt - perhaps for an elephant sized t-shirt......... <laugh>

<laugh>

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Wildey

Sonny wrote:He's right about playing two best of 9's in a day as well.


how would you work it ?

i cant see it working unless you have 4 tables and lets be frank we as a audience wont see 50% of the matches with last 16 and quarter same day.

its unworkable.

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Roland

It's not unworkable. If you can cram a tournament into 3 or 4 days then that's what Hearn was wanting and you can fit more into the calendar year. I don't care for seeing every single match of a standard tournament. I've got commitments at work so I will miss most of the China until Good Friday but it's one of those things.

OK off the top of my head:

4 table set up, 32 players.

day 1 - 9am start best of 9. Roll on roll off you can fit all matches into one day. If you get rid of mid-session intervals and allow for 3 hours per match and 30 minutes exchange the approximate times of 2nd, 3rd and 4th matches would be 12:30pm, 4pm, 7:30pm. Some matches finish early freeing up tables so those slower matches don't impact on time.

day 2 - last 16, 2pm start and 7pm start

day 3 - quarter-finals and semi-finals

day 4 - final

easy

and you could split day 1 and day 2 into equal days of 3 sessions per table.

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Wildey

with getting rid of mid session intervals people tend to forget the ref wants a snake hiss sometime lol

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Roland

Well I suppose you don't even need to get rid of them. To be honest when you're actually there it's quite nice to get up and stretch your legs and grab a coffee, it's only when you're watching on tv that you don't always want it. They always take about 5 minutes too long as in I'm always ready for play 5 minutes before it starts off so maybe that's the message here. 15 minutes and not 20. They say 15 but it's usually more like 20 in my experience.

Now I'm thinking of it, how about this for an idea - forget the 4 frames thing and go on time. Play for 90 minutes and then have a break. Cut off point is 80 minutes for frame before interval to start. Has anyone suggested that before?

<cool>

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Wildey

how about a tournament first to 4 frames but you got to win by 2 clear frames but if it reaches 6-6 the winner of the 13th frame wins and no interval.

if i remember correctly they played something like that during the mita world masters in 1991 but then it was first to 6 but if it went 6-6 the winner was whoever won 7-6.

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Wildey

Sonny wrote:I like the 2 clear frames concept <ok>


can you imagine the ref at 3-2 wanting a snake hiss and willing someone to win 4-2 but 2 hours later hes saying final frame thank buck for that at 6-6 rofl

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Wildey

StalinESQ wrote:Q: Do Hendo and Higgo get along - in a friendship type of way.....? (not that there is anything wrong with a difference of opinion) <ok>


lets just say if Hendry wanted to go out for a pint with someone Ronnie would be higher up the pecking order than John.

they have mutual respect as players but not in friendship sort of way.

could be because of that Altium deal that fell through in 2000.

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby SnookerFan

StalinESQ wrote:
Sonny wrote:Apparently not.

Anyway, this is absolutely nail on head territory and is worthy of it's own t-shirt:

“You only have to look at the ticket sales. It is the only tournament that is sold out from start to finish. The fans love it, the players love it and it has a massive TV audience.”


thats a lot of words for a t-shirt - perhaps for an elephant sized t-shirt......... <laugh>


I am quite a big guy, it might fit me.

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Casey

Sonny wrote:Apparently not.

Anyway, this is absolutely nail on head territory and is worthy of it's own t-shirt:

“You only have to look at the ticket sales. It is the only tournament that is sold out from start to finish. The fans love it, the players love it and it has a massive TV audience.”


Why do you reckon Hendry and Higgins don't get on?

Re: DON’T CHANGE THE WORLD SAYS HENDRY

Postby Wildey

i think it was since the Altium deal that fell through although there was underlying tensions before then with Ian Doyle sowing favoritism towards Stephen when they both was in the same stable.