TheBurningRed

2 hours ago, TheBurningRed said:

 Man Utd have sucked all enjoyment out of football for me. 

To quote myself. I can’t wait for this season to be over. 

Cheers @Fatty Facesitter Darts is the sport I’m most passionate about now Man Utd have sucked all enjoyment out of football for me. I could talk about it and play it all day. 

1 minute ago, SuperBacon said:

Also, I assume you meant to say can of Coke and not tin

Sorry, not a tin or a can. I meant a packet. He was getting on it. 

8 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

saw a clip yesterday from I think SSN, where they were asking Littler what his kebab order was. Imagine that being the level of your job. Asking a 16yo what kebab he has. Properly pathetic. 

After he won his first game he said he was going to celebrate with a kebab and either a tin of coke or Fanta. He said he was getting another kebab after his second win (only right for a darts athletes body) so there was context to it. But it was really awkward as that’s probably going to be his gimmick now other than being the oldest looking 16 year old. The kebab boy. 

2 minutes ago, Fatty Facesitter said:

Luke Littler is one of the stories of the tournament. It's perfectly natural and normal that the media would want to cover this unique story of a young player having an incredible tournament in more detail. It would almost be weird if they didn't cover it as a big story.  

Of course he is. I agree. But just like Fallon, Josh Rock and even Max Hopp from the past (who suffered massively from it to the point he’s now without a tour card as he fell apart after all the hype), the fact they’re constantly banging on about him when there are other things/stories going on, and the constant hype is going to have an affect. It’s a lot of pressure. Especially for his age. It did on those players. Leighton Bennett another example but he didn’t get the same level of hype they have, but it still happened. Beau Greaves will have the same. And it also turns fans against these players with the overhype. To the point they get unfairly booed. I’ve seen it so many times. They see something special and amazing happening, and while they’re in the rights to cover it and talk about it, they go way over the top until it becomes ad nauseam. It’s not their fault. I think Gary Anderson was right about probably 90% of the darts media imo. I’d tar a whole load of them with the same brush personally.

12 minutes ago, Fatty Facesitter said:

• Which leads me to my next point relating to his photo holding up a copy of The Sun. This will likely have been a media opportunity lined up by the PDC at the request of The Sun, where their journalist on the ground will have asked the PDC comms team if they can get some one to one time with him. 
• If the above is the case and this was set up by the PDC, somebody within their media team should have had the common sense to realise the sensitivity issue of this and the potential negativity that would have come from it. To me this is an enormous error of judgement on their part. 
• It might also be the case that Luke set this up with The Sun entirely by himself, in which case he should have been advised against doing this for the same reasons. Also it's something the PDC should have been aware of as it's taking place during a tournament - players are usually fined for doing any media activity outside of that jurisdiction.

Absolutely. It’s just a shame people online have attacked Littler, a boy who more than likely hasn’t got a clue about the sensitivity and not the PDC who probably set it up. 

Not defending anyone involved with the PDC or their media team, but there is a chance that whoever set it up didn’t realise what the issue could be themselves. Not everyone is clued up. I just hope it doesn’t affect him tonight. 

Commentary is usually poor. It’s worse on ITV. With Sky, Mardle is only good when he’s with John Part imo. Part is always great, as is Webster and Durrant. Dan Dawson is really good as he’s always on the pro tour commentary so he knows every player inside out. The rest are shite. Pyke has been doing that job for about 20 years and gets the simplest things wrong, doesn’t seem to have a clue and just shouts randomly. Rod Studd just can’t shut the fuck up. Any combo of Studd, Pyke, Mardle and Turner and I mute the telly. 

I’m so glad Smith lost. He’s had a shit year as world champ. Probably as bad as John Parts in 2008 or Rob Cross in 2018. But it’s always a pleasure seeing that mumbling Tory wanker lose. Dobey was fantastic however. 

Gary Anderson with a great point about Littler. They’re hyping him up so much on Sky and in the media and it’s going to do him harm. Same thing happened with Fallon and as Ando says, Josh Rock. Poor Littler got loads of abuse from (mostly) scousers yesterday. He had a photo taken holding a copy of The Sun. He’s a kid. Like he knows about something that happened 18 years before he was born. And if he does, I’m sure he doesn’t know why The Sun is scum. I doubt his parents knew the connection either. And they’ve had to come out with a statement apologising for it. Hopefully he can keep focus despite all this hype and beat Barney. 

Here’s a fun game to play when he is playing. Count how many times they mention he’s 16. Stuart Pyke mentioned it 27 times during his game the other night. 

Terrible news. I remember him coming to the Rev Pro shows when he was just a young fan and being at meet and greets. Loved his keyboard warrior gimmick and him genuinely winding up Pete Dunne and Rampage Brown on twitter. 

Still can’t believe I saw him tag with Minoru Suzuki of all people as well. 

RIP Mad Kurt. 

No he’s still there. He was in the background of an episode a couple of weeks back. 

One of the masked men this week was definitely Mike Bennett. The head shape and beard was obvious under the mask. I’m pretty sure one is Kyle O’Reilly. I think all roads lead to Adam Cole and his old pals from ROH and NXT. I don’t care where it goes, as long as it doesn’t mean Bobby Fish is back. 

THE GOOD
Best Women's Wrestler - Rhea Ripley, Willow Nightingale, Toni Storm, Iyo Sky

Best Men's Wrestler - Gunther, Cody Rhodes, Bryan Danielson, Swerve Strickland 

Best Tag Team - FTR, Creed Brothers

Best British Wrestler - British Wrestler in any promotion, not just UK-based - Can’t stand him but Will Ospreay

Best Non-wrestler - RJ City, Prince Nana, Renee Paquette

Best Event - All In, All Out, Revolution 

Best Wrestling Show - Dynamite (For all its sins is still mostly enjoyable)

Best Feud or Angle - Dominik Mysterio prison entrance, Hangman Page vs Swerve Strickland, Strickland breaking into Hangman’s house, Nick Wayne attacked by Swerve and Fox in Buddy Wayne’s home.

Funniest Moment - Hangman threatening to take Prince Nanas weed

Best Heel - Christian Cage, Swerve Strickland, Dominik Mysterio

Best Babyface - Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, Mark Briscoe, Willow Nightingale

Moment of the Year - Owens and Zayn win the tag titles at Wrestlemania, Zayn turns on Reigns at the Rumble, CM Punk returns at Survivor Series, Christian tells Adam Copeland to go fuck himself.

Match of the Year - The Usos vs Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn (Wrestlemania Night 1), Gunther vs Sheamus vs Drew McIntyre (Wrestlemania Night 2), Swerve Strickland vs Hangman Page (Full Gear), MJF vs Bryan Danielson (Revolution), FTR vs Juice Robinson and Jay White (2 out of 3 Falls Collision (2 out of 3 Falls Collision July 15)

Breakout Star - Swerve Strickland, Konosuke Takeshita, Julia Hart
 
THE BAD
Biggest Letdown - Punk and The Elite not being able to settle their differences, MJF still being champion, Cody not winning the title at Wrestlemania

Worst Wrestler - Austin Theory, Kommander, Gravity, Ross and Marshall Von Erich

Worst Match - Adam Cole vs Chris Jericho (Double or Nothing), Austin Theory vs John Cena (Wrestlemania Night 1)

Worst Event - Crown Jewel 

Worst TV Show - Rampage

What did you expect?

“Something to tell the grandchildren about”

Because of how much he’s dropped off in form and average wise since he won the BDO Youth Championship in 2019. Just before that he had that fantastic match with Phil Taylor and was just doing amazing things on the oche against big names and the youth circuit. Struggles to win games now, shit averages, only won 7 titles in the past four years since winning the Youth Worlds but nothing of significance. Crap on the Development tour as well. 

I think there was too much hype too early on so maybe pressure got to him. He might’ve lost interest and the hunger he had as he’s getting older. That happens.

He does have a terrible attitude though which you’d hope he’d grow out of if he does stick around. 

Yeah the occasion might do. When/if he comes up against a proper big name. Gilding is a major winner and no push over, but you’d think if he was up against someone like MVG the nerves will be there. He’s won 18 titles this year already though. Like I said on day one, he’s everything Leighton Bennett was destined to be. Littler and Beau Greaves are the future. 

Probably started drinking in working men’s clubs at aged 11. He’s looked like that for at least three years. 

Fucking hell. Luke Littler, what a player. Making his debut in the world championships at 16 years old and wins 3-0 with a 106 average. Conceded two legs. No nerves. Looked like he belonged. It’s sickening the talent he has and has had for the past few years now. I’m only slightly jealous. An actual dark horse. I don’t think he’ll win it like Rob Cross did first time, but I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s playing again tomorrow night against Andrew Gilding which should be a great match. 

It’s a different guy. 

A new Lewis has just dropped (and I hope he does get damaged)

Maybe men shouldn’t have started opening up if this is the end result. Why would you shout like this at someone as well, despite the sentiment. 

President of the Dull Men’s Club. 

Stephen French

I was in Waterstones the other day and they have about 5 or 6 different board games on Peaky Blinders. And an escape room game. Plus there’s two versions of that Risk one. 

Another one for you @SuperBacon

Part hilarious. Part Jesus Fucking Christ he needs talking to. Actually mad. 

Jericho will try and get his teeth into someone now like the vampire he is. Don’t let him near Swerve. 

The best way to get round the abysmal crowd chants and the awful comms that don’t include Part or Webster is to listen to something else while watching. It makes it a whole lot better. 

The real Christmas starts tonight. The world championships. I’ve managed to get my work schedule sorted around watching almost the whole thing. Luke Humphries is the overwhelming favourite after winning three majors in the last four tournaments. I think he will go all the way. He does well at the worlds. He’s got to three quarter finals before but this year he’s a whole different animal.

Others around him on the order of merit can’t be ruled out. But despite winning a few things this year, Smith, MVG and Wright aren’t in the greatest of form. I know that can all change. MVG and Wright always turn up for this. I don’t think Smith retains. He’s been very poor for most of the year. Price will be a favourite despite the fact he hasn’t won a major in two years. 

Personally want anyone from Aspinall, Chizzy, Bunting, Gilding, Rock, Gary Anderson or Searle to win. Big ask but Aspinall and Gilding are major winners this year. 

One to watch is Luke Littler. An incredible talent at 16 years old (Although looks like he’s pushing 30). Might be too early for him yet, but he is the future of darts and will definitely surpass what others thought  Leighton Bennett would do.