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Help or Hindrance?

Ronnie is undoubtedly beneficial to snooker
18
64%
Hindrance, snooker needs to get rid of him
5
18%
Neutral
5
18%
 
Total votes : 28

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Roland

On the table help, off the table I wouldn't go as far as to say hindrance but you can't take him literally which too many do. Obviously overall he's beneficial, that goes without saying. However his sabbatical showed that snooker will carry on regardless without him and continue to grow.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby GrumpyMrDavros

I voted Help To Snooker

However I should qualify this by stating he does has his downside by his constant self pity and he does attract the worst possible pond life as followers . Anyone remember the 2007 Masters final with Ding where racist scum were cheering him to the rafters

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Smart

GrumpyMrDavros wrote:I voted Help To Snooker

However I should qualify this by stating he does has his downside by his constant self pity and he does attract the worst possible pond life as followers . Anyone remember the 2007 Masters final with Ding where racist scum were cheering him to the rafters


Jewell :wave:

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Sickpotter

His play helps, his mouth doesn't and that's always been the case with Ronnie.

I'm neutral because we just don't know the effect of his statements at this moment. When sponsorship contracts are up for renewal is when the effects of these kinds of comments are felt.

The problem for the most part is we have no way of knowing at what point his comments will result in a net loss for the sport. The sponsors will one day just say enough is enough and they aren't likely to give much notice.

He's a benefit now but will his comments during his career be a liability later? Time will tell.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby SnookerFan

GrumpyMrDavros wrote:I voted Help To Snooker

However I should qualify this by stating he does has his downside by his constant self pity and he does attract the worst possible pond life as followers . Anyone remember the 2007 Masters final with Ding where racist scum were cheering him to the rafters


In his defence, Ronnie didn't encourage that. He even went as far as to comfort Ding during the match.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Alpha

SnookerFan wrote:
GrumpyMrDavros wrote:I voted Help To Snooker

However I should qualify this by stating he does has his downside by his constant self pity and he does attract the worst possible pond life as followers . Anyone remember the 2007 Masters final with Ding where racist scum were cheering him to the rafters


In his defence, Ronnie didn't encourage that. He even went as far as to comfort Ding during the match.


It's true, O'Sullivan turned round to his fans who were abusing Ding ( I heard another story that Ding overheard his own fans having a go at him, which set him off) and telling them to shut up!!
On topic, I voted neutral. The game needs him as much on table as it could do without his antics off table.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby roy142857

I think snooker has benefited from him over the years, but some of what he has said recently will detract from snooker and risk sponsorship money. I think he's in danger of becoming a hindrance, and this last incident is damaging ... but at the moment I think the benefit JUST outweighs the hindrance/damage.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Witz78

Like or hate, help or hindrance, lets face it hes still the only show in town as far as the general public and media are concerned regarding snooker so if he left snooker, snooker would suffer.

Trumps claims to be the one to carry on the baton from Alex, Jimmy then Ronnie are looking a bit far fetched

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Roland

It's a shame the crowd he attracts but Jimmy was the same, they're like a baying mob at times. Anyway, whatever you think of him I don't think I'll see a better player in my lifetime.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Witz78

I guess they attract the rowdier more casual snooker fan who likes their rebellious side.

Maybe the fact they attract this kind of crowd noises up a lot of diehard snooker fans plus maybe there a tad jealous too that there players cant attract a wider support.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Wildey

i wish he would retire if hes not taking the tour seriously.

it does the sport no favors not having a World Champion doing his Bit on and off the table if he wasn't a World champion i wouldn't give a toss how many tournament he enters but as World Champ he has obligations and for my money hes not full-filling them.

as for his brain lets hope to god he wont leave that to science when hes gone.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Roland

Witz78 wrote:I guess they attract the rowdier more casual snooker fan who likes their rebellious side.

Maybe the fact they attract this kind of crowd noises up a lot of diehard snooker fans plus maybe there a tad jealous too that there players cant attract a wider support.



Haha well you're a rowdy fan but you cheer on all sorts of different players.

I often felt sorry for Jimmy because you see he was embarrassed when his fans tried to put the opponent off because Jimmy is the epitome of a good sport. But that's part of why everyone loves him so much. I don't know how Ronnie feels about certain elements of his crowd, it must feel good and boost your ego to have people like you that much.

You can't blame the players for the crowd they bring but I freely admit part of the reason when I'm at a tournament I don't mind when Ronnie loses is because you're left with an audience who are there for the love of the game and not just one player.

Hey I can understand the Ronnie not snooker mindset, I only tune in to tennis when I know Rafa is playing but I have respect for the players he pumps and that's all you really ask of people who go and watch Ronnie live. Most of them do show respect, but the 10-20% that don't really kill the atmosphere and make a lot of people wish their man goes out even if they enjoy watching him themselves.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Wildey

a World Champion should be obligated to help new territories get established Like India and Australia that's much more important for the growth of snooker than playing in a Chinese event.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby SnookerFan

Jewell wrote:He isn't obligated to do anything. You can't hold Mickey Mouse test events in the middle of nowhere and then expect the World Champion to come and play in it. It just doesn't work that way.


How do you expect the sport to grow if people take the attitude that smaller events are Mickey Mouse and shouldn't be attended?

Shall we cancel all other tournaments, and just have The Crucible once a year?

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Wildey

Jewell wrote:
Wildey wrote:a World Champion should be obligated to help new territories get established Like India and Australia that's much more important for the growth of snooker than playing in a Chinese event.


He isn't obligated to do anything. You can't hold Mickey Mouse test events in the middle of nowhere and then expect the World Champion to come and play in it. It just doesn't work that way.

How do you reckon Big Events gets big events?

do you think Harry Potter has a hand in it?

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Skullman

Not everything, but it can't hurt to have to have him at the inaugural Indian Open and places like Australia where the game is still breaking through.

He definitely doesn't have to support any of the Chinese events unless he chooses to, as China is well established already.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Wildey

Skullman wrote:Not everything, but it can't hurt to have to have him at the inaugural Indian Open and places like Australia where the game is still breaking through.

He definitely doesn't have to support any of the Chinese events unless he chooses to, as China is well established already.

<ok>

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Ayrshirebhoy

I voted hindrance. He is the best right now and gets the best crowds at games and attracts more attention than any other snooker player. The reason he's a hindrance is he knows all this and acts like a total pin end about it instead of acting like a true champion and showing some humility.

Iv said ma piece :)

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Ayrshirebhoy

SnookerFan wrote:
GrumpyMrDavros wrote:I voted Help To Snooker

However I should qualify this by stating he does has his downside by his constant self pity and he does attract the worst possible pond life as followers . Anyone remember the 2007 Masters final with Ding where racist scum were cheering him to the rafters


In his defence, Ronnie didn't encourage that. He even went as far as to comfort Ding during the match.


I would agree with that as well. Jimmy White had the same rowdy fans. I just assumed it was the area rather than the player.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Wildey

There's nothing wrong with a Rowdy crowd players has to learn to deal with that. Alex Higgins Crowd would eat Ronnies Mob for breakfast back in the day and it was Electric.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Wildey

Ronnie O'Sullivan ‏@ronnieo147 12m

Any snooker players up for challenge match on tv if tv company wanna screen it? I'm bored and fancy a challenge


has it ever occurred to him there's plenty of challenges being put his way in the form of flying to Australia and India and he doesn't take up the challenge.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Smart

Wildey wrote:
Ronnie O'Sullivan ‏@ronnieo147 12m

Any snooker players up for challenge match on tv if tv company wanna screen it? I'm bored and fancy a challenge


has it ever occurred to him there's plenty of challenges being put his way in the form of flying to Australia and India and he doesn't take up the challenge.


change the record :zzz:

he can play when and where he wants and still turn up in SHeffield and smash the also rans, hard to accept for you - but true nonetheless :wave:

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby Roland

I was disappointed he didn't enter the Indian (and was quite vocal about it) but then once I saw it was best of 7s and the relatively poor prize money I didn't blame him for skipping. It's just a shame he doesn't feel a duty as World Champion to be an ambassador for the game because I can only think of Carter and Allen as realistic WC contenders who would do the same and skip a lot of events that don't suit them personally. But Ronnie expressed regret at not entering Shanghai and seems gupping to get playing again so I think he'll turn up to most of the remaining big events this season and try and get in the PTC finals.

Regarding the crowd, it's just the ones who have a blatant disregard for the other players and have to shout "GO ON RONNIE" whenever his opponent misses that get on my tits but the problem is there are usually several of them at any one time. At the Crucible this year there was an Irish hammer in the row in front of me who kept having to shout "DIFFERENT CLASS RONNIE" and things like that constantly, totally not giving a rubbish how those around him wanted to hammer him one. And of course you had the Ronnie fan who brought the fart machine in and kept using it when Judd was down on his shot. It's only his fans that do things like that. I'm not tarring all his fans with the same brush but let's just say there are a vocal few who really get my back up and over the years they grind you down so that you end up wanting Ronnie to lose even though he's a joy to watch.

Re: Ronnie O'Sullivan: Help or Hindrance to snooker?

Postby GrumpyMrDavros

Don't know if this is the first time - let's hope it's not the last time - but I've got to agree one hundred per cent with Sonny

It's not just the fact O'Sullivan's fans are the nosiest and rudest but they've followed Ronnie since the very early days and soon outilived their welcome . I remember in 1996 at the world championship there were half a dozen eejits . As soon as Ronnie broke off it'd be " GO ON RONNIE . Ronnie pots a simple red " THAT'S IT RONNIE > Ronnie pots a simple blue " THAT'S IT ME SON " It all came to ahead in the Semi final with Ebdon where after dominating the first two sessions and a commanding lead of 10-5 Peter found himself at the hands of a spectacular come back by O' Sullivan in the third session . It all came to ahead when someone blurted out " THAT'S IT RONNIE FAHK 'IM which led to the ref warning anymore shouting out on the shots would lead to people getting thrown out , but to be blunt the 6 or so muppets who'd cheer and applaud each and every shot by O'Sullivan should have been kicked out long before then . I imagine they're the sort of idiots who spend their weekends on EDL marches