Official Darts Thread

[Famous Mortimer]

I was discussing this with my mate the other day, and I don't think the quality of the darts is really the issue. Looking at last year's BBC final, it was extraordinary - full of emotion, full of tension, one man nearly finishing and being dragged back...now, comparing that to yer average Phil Taylor whitewash over on Sky and the quality of the players becomes less important than how much fun the shows are to watch.

 

It's like pro wres, where if one fed has all the best guys but puts on dull cards (this may not be a perfect analogy, I just made it up).

[The Cum Doctor]

I was discussing this with my mate the other day, and I don't think the quality of the darts is really the issue. Looking at last year's BBC final, it was extraordinary - full of emotion, full of tension, one man nearly finishing and being dragged back...now, comparing that to yer average Phil Taylor whitewash over on Sky and the quality of the players becomes less important than how much fun the shows are to watch.

 

It's like pro wres, where if one fed has all the best guys but puts on dull cards (this may not be a perfect analogy, I just made it up).

 

It's not a good analogy at all. The PDC WCs has been putting on super matches all of the time. In saying that, there was one on the Lakeside yesterday too. I honestly think there isn't THAT big a standard gap between the PDC and BDO apart from Phil Taylor. The likes of James Wade, Barney and Lewis SHOULD be firing in a better standard, but the first two clearly don't have the head on right. Adrian Lewis is looking like really stepping the game up though, and this has been coming for the last few months. We don't know if Simon Whitlock will hit the standard he has on a consistant basis either.

 

My only problem with the BDO WCs is presentation. The PDC have gotten it down perfectly, while watching the BBC just feels tacky and almost cringeworthy.

[Baz Windham]

I've had a couple of quid on Whitlock 7-5 at 25-1. I fancy him to get ahead early and stay ahead. It might be the only way to win for him. More than anything i hope it will be a half decent contest becuase it's been a very good tournament.

 

On an aside Colin Murray just said to the rather large John Henderson when talking about his opponent "I thought you were going to put him in a sandwich" Oh dear

[The Cum Doctor]

On an aside Colin Murray just said to the rather large John Henderson when talking about his opponent "I thought you were going to put him in a sandwich" Oh dear

 

He's been doing stuff like that all weekend. Cheeky wee bastard. I like him.

 

Green continues to do my head in though. Croft rightly got the pronunciation of Greenock, but Green went on and told him he was wrong, and decided to alternate between Grenock and Grinock.

[stewdogg]

What the fuck is wrong with Taylor tonight? His finishing when he has loads of time is shocking, but he's pulling out unbelievable finishes when Whitlock is on a single dart finish, the man is awesome.

[tiger_rick]

On an aside Colin Murray just said to the rather large John Henderson when talking about his opponent "I thought you were going to put him in a sandwich" Oh dear

 

He's been doing stuff like that all weekend. Cheeky wee bastard. I like him.

 

Green continues to do my head in though. Croft rightly got the pronunciation of Greenock, but Green went on and told him he was wrong, and decided to alternate between Grenock and Grinock.

I like Green, purely because of how synonomous he is with the program I think. Sid Waddell is far worse, he's like the annoying bastard you sometimes get sat next to at football who has to pass comment on every single thing every single second and 99.9% of it is just totally obvious. John Gwynn is better but keeps saying "They need to pepper that red bit", as if they hadn't thought of that.

 

Final was alright, never really in doubt once Taylor got going. That last leg to make it 3-6 was awesome though, They missed about 12 doubles between them, great stuff.

[Famous Mortimer]

Another Taylor victory? My point from above might become more relevant once the other final is done.

[The Natural]

Random thoughts:

 

BDO quality is awful but the finals the past few years have being dramatic.

 

I like Rob Walker but I didn't like him and Bobby George presenting. I think Murray and George work better.

 

I fucking wish Julia Ferrington (sp) from Radio 5 Live would do the interviews again. She hasn't done it for the past few years. I thought she did a good job and looks good as well.

 

I like David Croft's commentary in darts and F1. I miss John Part's commentary as well.

 

I liked Simon Whitlock when he played in the BDO, glad to see him doing so well.

 

It's rare when something has gone on for longer that it isn't the most prestigious. BDO has the history but the PDC has more value.

 

On the twat list of darts players I can't stand would be Kirk Shepard, Brian Woods, Chris Mason and top of the lot, Mervyn King.

[CurryAngel]

As said, apart from Taylor I don't think the standard of play is a lot better in the PDC than the BDO. Webster played no better than he did at Lakeside and still came 3rd (I know Barney obviously didn't want to play that play-off).

 

The first round at Lakeside is normally abysmal and this year has been no exception, but it usually picks up by the quarter finals.

 

I'm off to Lakeside on friday afternoon to watch darts with real darts fans Was at the Ally Pally on Saturday and while it was great fun 80% of the crowd just seemed interested on finding the TV cameras. Barney vs Whitlock was almost worth the

[Magnum Milano]

On an aside Colin Murray just said to the rather large John Henderson when talking about his opponent "I thought you were going to put him in a sandwich" Oh dear

 

He's been doing stuff like that all weekend. Cheeky wee bastard. I like him.

 

Green continues to do my head in though. Croft rightly got the pronunciation of Greenock, but Green went on and told him he was wrong, and decided to alternate between Grenock and Grinock.

 

Green should have been put out to pasture a long time ago, but as the 'face of TV darts' he will have a job for as long as he wants one. Similar situation with Waddell and Sky. I don't know whether it was at last years worlds or the years before, where one of the players required 2, and Green said "I wonder which way he will go?". Caused a great bit of debate over at the Stars of Darts forum, as the general consensus was that it wasn't said in jest. Green does himself no favours by not even acknowledging the rival PDC, at least Croft talks about them, wishes the players luck, congratulates them etc. Yesterday when Scott Waites was playing Croft pretty much said that he will heading over to the PDC after the Worlds, but Tony just kept quiet. I will say that a couple of my friends met Green in Bridlington at the Masters, and said he was a really nice man.

 

I am starting to warm to Colin Murray, but Rob Walker has really got to go. Constantly referring to players by their nicknames when he interviews them (like he has been mates with them for years), constantly referring to his notes cause he clearly doesn't follow the sport, and there was one awful interview where he was calling Shaun Greatbatch (who was looking great by the way) a Legend. The guy should just stick to doing his lousy snooker intros.

 

Waites has looked the best of the BDO boys so far, although Dave Chisnall is a dark horse. I said in this thread this time last year when he took on Adams that he was the real deal, and nothing has changed my opinion of him. Looking forward to seeing Wolfie when he kicks off his campaign.

[Loki]

I am starting to warm to Colin Murray, but Rob Walker has really got to go. Constantly referring to players by their nicknames when he interviews them (like he has been mates with them for years), constantly referring to his notes cause he clearly doesn't follow the sport, and there was one awful interview where he was calling Shaun Greatbatch (who was looking great by the way) a Legend. The guy should just stick to doing his lousy snooker intros.

 

Is he the guy who does the wrap up at the end of the night, before Darts Extra? He kept reaching out and touching Bobby George on the shoulder in a really inappropriate way, it looked like Bobby was thinking about taking a swing at him by the end.

[The Cum Doctor]

Waites has looked the best of the BDO boys so far, although Dave Chisnall is a dark horse. I said in this thread this time last year when he took on Adams that he was the real deal, and nothing has changed my opinion of him. Looking forward to seeing Wolfie when he kicks off his campaign.

 

Henderson looked amazing on the scoring yet again. If that guy gets the doubles sorted one day, he'd be a shoe in for the title. Doesn't he still have the record for the most 180s in a five set match with 13 ?

 

Scott Waites put on something of a demolition. He's always looked decent, but I honestly didn't see that Grand Slam run coming. Good that he's gonna have the chance to do it on a more regular basis in the PDC.

 

Dave Chisnall was getting tipped BIG by Robbie Green before last year's WCs, which sort of made me take note, and he didn't disappoint, nor did Daryl Gurney, who looked a right arrogant wee sod, but in the Nicholson mould, which means I liked him immediately.

[Magnum Milano]

I am starting to warm to Colin Murray, but Rob Walker has really got to go. Constantly referring to players by their nicknames when he interviews them (like he has been mates with them for years), constantly referring to his notes cause he clearly doesn't follow the sport, and there was one awful interview where he was calling Shaun Greatbatch (who was looking great by the way) a Legend. The guy should just stick to doing his lousy snooker intros.

 

Is he the guy who does the wrap up at the end of the night, before Darts Extra? He kept reaching out and touching Bobby George on the shoulder in a really inappropriate way, it looked like Bobby was thinking about taking a swing at him by the end.

 

Possibly. I dont watch the Darts Extra show, but he is constantly touching the players, family etc. when he interviews them so more than likely it is him doing the same with Bobby.

 

Dave Chisnall was getting tipped BIG by Robbie Green before last year's WCs, which sort of made me take note, and he didn't disappoint, nor did Daryl Gurney, who looked a right arrogant wee sod, but in the Nicholson mould, which means I liked him immediately.

 

The big thing is whether all these people who were 'touted' can actually perform on the World Stage. Chisnall proved that he clearly can, however, people were expecting big things of Ian White, and he ended up getting out played by Stephen Bunting. I remember dispising Gurney last year, hopefully he is a more amiable chap this year.

[Baz Windham]

I enjoyed the final last night. Whitlock certainly played very well, nice to see he him around he standard he was throughout the tournament which is somethinh he can be proud of, that he played like he knew he had. You pretty much knew where it was heading from 4-2 Taylor but the standard was high throughout, except for Taylor's doubling at times. Unreal that he missed so many and then at the key times hit 170,167,161 and then the big checkout to win. I thought the scorelne was a bit flattering and as i said it was a few key checkouts from Taylor that did Whitlock in. Taylor's off days seem few and far between these days and even when he dips during matches he seems to drag his opponent down with him You wonder when he'll slow down or drop off in form permanently but there isn't even the slightest hint of that yet

Edited January 4, 2010 by Baz Windham

[PowerButchi]

Another Taylor victory? My point from above might become more relevant once the other final is done.

 

Depends how much you're into your darts. I take my darts very seriously, and would rather have a Taylor win with the players averages being 100+ in the final, than a close game with poor averages.

 

Look at Nixon vs Adams for example, yeah it had a great story and that, but a week before you'd had an even better final with Barney vs Taylor, nwhich is one of the greatest matches in any sporting event ever. And to be fair, for every Nixon vs Adams or O'Shea vs Hankey, you've got a Part vs George or a Hankey vs Baxter. Indeed, it's only these past few years the BDO have started to have close finals again, with a shit lolad of near-blowouts and the aforementioned Hankey vs Baxter since Barney vs Baxter in '99.

Edited January 4, 2010 by ButchReedMark