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Snooker Heroes: Who needs them?

Postby Andy Spark

The great Christopher Hitchens was dying of cancer, during his last public appearance he was asked, "why in the world can't I have a hero like you?" he replied, "because you shouldn't need or want to have heroes..."

My question is simply: Should we need or want to have snooker heroes?

Re: Snooker Heroes: Who needs them?

Postby SnookerFan

Depends what you mean?

Do you mean should we have people's styles we try to imitate when playing? People's success we hope to emulate? Just people we enjoy watching when they are on television?

Re: Snooker Heroes: Who needs them?

Postby Wildey

Andy Spark wrote:The great Christopher Hitchens was dying of cancer, during his last public appearance he was asked, "why in the world can't I have a hero like you?" he replied, "because you shouldn't need or want to have heroes..."

My question is simply: Should we need or want to have snooker heroes?

Eyeryone has a hero their Mother or Father, Filmstar, soapstar or a Sportstar

Re: Snooker Heroes: Who needs them?

Postby TheSaviour

No player is bigger than a sport, but it also works other way around; sport might be too big for some players. Let´s take someone like Steve Davis or Ronnie O´Sullivan. It is impossible to define them "only" as a snooker-players. It doesn´t mean snooker couldn´t do without them because it very well can. But I don´t see Ronnie for example as a that much of a snooker player to be honest.. If I would ever have a chance to meet him I would be a much more interested asking questions about his coffee-businesses than anything about the snooker. I probably wouldn´t mention a word about anything even slightly related to snooker.

So I am not so sure at all that we need any "snooker heroes". Essentially it is just a pub game, and the top players probably are more interested completely different things than what happens on a snooker table. Or they might be a slightly interested what happens on a snooker table, but they certainly aren´t interested about their "snooker heroes" profilies or definitions.

Re: Snooker Heroes: Who needs them?

Postby Andy Spark

SnookerFan wrote:Depends what you mean?

Do you mean should we have people's styles we try to imitate when playing? People's success we hope to emulate? Just people we enjoy watching when they are on television?

No, I don't really mean a role model, I think they can be useful things to have. I mean someone who we follow, but no longer necessarily on a rational level, we simply follow them because they are one of our "heroes". I refer to snooker heroes and "fandom", but I suppose I could refer to heroes generally.


"...I would not lead you into this promised land if I could, because if I could lead you in, someone else could lead you out". ~Eugene V. Debs