Fatty Facesitter's Snooker Loopy thread

[Gus Mears]

Not a banner second round to be honest. Pockets are wild this year too, could drop a beachball in the corners.

[Loki]

@Fatty Facesitter You'll be pleased to hear that this weekend I introduced my brother's new American fiancée to the delights of televised snooker, as she asked what it was.

Unfortunately I picked a match and frame where two players failed to pot a ball for 15 minutes before deciding on a re-rack so it wasn't a great start, but once they got into the balls she was more impressed.  She thought it was unfair they kept putting the reds back on the table as that made it harder.  She has vowed to keep watching some more of the beautiful sport, I promised her once you learnt the full rules and memorised the values of each ball it was almost unbearably exciting.

As a family, we had also had a spirited debate and the consensus was that Neil Robertson is indeed wearing a wig.

Edited April 24, 2023 by Loki

[Tommy!]

4 minutes ago, Loki said:

once they got into the balls she was more impressed

[The Gaffer]

5 hours ago, Gus Mears said:

Not a banner second round to be honest. Pockets are wild this year too, could drop a beachball in the corners.

It's hit something of a nadir alright. A few players left I'm not too interested in, and there was so much absolute mullering in the last few games that a few have ended early and they're just constantly showing replays of it. I'm sure it'll pick up again. 

[SuperBacon]

1 hour ago, Loki said:

As a family, we had also had a spirited debate and the consensus was that Neil Robertson is indeed wearing a wig.

He had his hair like this for about a year and you think he's wearing a wig NOW???

[Gus Mears]

Only one man is allowed a shocking syrup in snooker and that man is Jimmy White.

[Pork Pie]

Kyren Wilson and Shaun Murphy in the commentary box is an unexpected duo. I thought I'd hate it but I didn't find them to be too bad.

I'm fully rooting for a Jak Jones vs Si final. It would be an amazing story for both. If that doesn't happen hopefully Selby wins a fifth world title further cementing himself as the third greatest snooker player.

[Fatty Facesitter]

Rocket/Bullet was a great standard. Quarters already a much better watch than the second round thus far. 

Edited April 25, 2023 by Fatty Facesitter

[Chilly McFreeze]

10 hours ago, Fatty Facesitter said:

Rocket/Bullet was a great standard. Quarters already a much better watch than the second round thus far. 

Really? Honestly I found it kind of woeful bar the odd big break. Especially the safety. Watching Brecel give a safety shot about 2 seconds thought and then putting Ronnie back in is infuriating. He's such a naturally gifted player but has a huge vibe of just not really giving a shit. One of the most careless players I have ever seen. See also Jack Lisowski. Players like those 2 will never win the WC until they work on their all round game. You can't just pot your way to victory at the Crucible.

Ronnie was relying on his C game as far as I can tell which shows how bad Brecel is at all round match play given the scoreline. Ronnie was definately there for the taking in the 2nd session and Brecel just threw his chance away because he couldn't be arsed to actually engage with the match and think about the shots he was playing.

 

 

[Gus Mears]

Part of the reason I'm so gutted that Yan 'The Man' Bingtao is likely gone for years is that he was the one youngster who really leaned on outstanding safety play. There was a UK Championship match a couple of years back between him and O'Sullivan and while Ronnie won it was quite evident he was hating every moment of it - balls being put safe, fiendish snookers, getting him out of rhythm.

If you were going to pick two people who he'd love playing against, Loosey Goosey Brecel and Hoss doing an impression of me down the snooker club after 8 pints would be near the top.

[Fatty Facesitter]

51 minutes ago, Chilly McFreeze said:

Really? Honestly I found it kind of woeful bar the odd big break. Especially the safety. Watching Brecel give a safety shot about 2 seconds thought and then putting Ronnie back in is infuriating. He's such a naturally gifted player but has a huge vibe of just not really giving a shit. One of the most careless players I have ever seen. See also Jack Lisowski. Players like those 2 will never win the WC until they work on their all round game. You can't just pot your way to victory at the Crucible.

Ronnie was relying on his C game as far as I can tell which shows how bad Brecel is at all round match play given the scoreline. Ronnie was definately there for the taking in the 2nd session and Brecel just threw his chance away because he couldn't be arsed to actually engage with the match and think about the shots he was playing.

 

 

Probably more a reflection of how dull the second round felt more than anything. And even watching Ronnie in his C game is better than most people's A game. I kind of like the fact that neither player spends hours deliberating over safety - I also think that you need to have a vibe of not giving much of a shit to get a chance against O'Sullivan at times because it can be so easy to get overawed by the occasion if you're not careful. 

Last day of the two-table setup today!

 

[Chilly McFreeze]

1 hour ago, Gus Mears said:

Part of the reason I'm so gutted that Yan 'The Man' Bingtao is likely gone for years is that he was the one youngster who really leaned on outstanding safety play. There was a UK Championship match a couple of years back between him and O'Sullivan and while Ronnie won it was quite evident he was hating every moment of it - balls being put safe, fiendish snookers, getting him out of rhythm.

If you were going to pick two people who he'd love playing against, Loosey Goosey Brecel and Hoss doing an impression of me down the snooker club after 8 pints would be near the top.

Absolutely. His match vs Selby last year was fantastic to watch. Safety is only boring to me when it's done badly. Two men trying to outwit each other with pure skill and gamesmanship is what I really love about Snooker. It's that cerebral side of the game that gets me going. Watching Yan beat Selby at his own game had me convinced he would be the first Chinese player to actually become a Triple Crown player. Obviously not gonna happen now.

One of the reasons I love Selby so much is he can go toe to toe in an epic 30 minute safety battle, scrape a frame and then knock in 3 tons without breaking a sweat. Easy to forget that man has nearly 800 centuries. His reputation precedes him for sure, but I think he's just a joy to watch because he is so in tune with all aspects of the sport. I don't think it's appreciated enough just how good he is without falling back on the 'Granite' cliche. He's the only player of his generation to come close to the 'Class of 92' shite the sport still clings too. He'll surpass them all apart from Ronnie before he retires.

[The Gaffer]

Yeah the Brecel/Sullivan stuff from last night was frequently awful, but in a way that made for great viewing. 

I have to say, I'm really not arsed about the whole need for a generational turnover as much as some other people. Every tournament is a meritocracy, and if O'Sullivan and Higgins are in the final, then they've earned it. As much as it's drawing the sportsman/athlete debate now, you're still not taking bumps to the head or having your ankles and shins smashed in out there so the fact that some of the best ever are still some of the best around is fine in my book.

They're still the biggest draws and it's up to the New Gen lads to change that by...you know...beating them loads to the point where some sort of personality and run eventually starts to properly shine through for them. If it's not happening yet, fuck it. 

Alan McManus was pretty unscrupulous on the Eurosport punditry last night, flagging that a lot of the current crop's problem is just really sticking to their guns on the stuff they're good at, and not putting in the hours practice for the stuff they're not. Brecel's great to watch but when he's taking 5-6 seconds before absolutely pelting in shots that are going to get him in trouble, at the Crucible against a guy like O'Sullivan, it does seem like there's a bit of maturity missing. Not out of respect for the game or any bollocks like that, but just in playing a bit more pragmatically. 

That's why I've warmed to Selby as well. Cynically there's nothing like a good mental health story to stop the endless japes over someone's perceived lack of personality, but he's the one guy who came up to the main event level in the last crop who can do it all. It doesn't matter who he's up again, you always feel like there's a very good chance he'll just torture them for entire sessions. 

Edited April 26, 2023 by Gay as FOOK

[Chilly McFreeze]

2 hours ago, Gay as FOOK said:

Alan McManus was pretty unscrupulous on the Eurosport punditry last night, flagging that a lot of the current crop's problem is just really sticking to their guns on the stuff they're good at, and not putting in the hours practice for the stuff they're not. Brecel's great to watch but when he's taking 5-6 seconds before absolutely pelting in shots that are going to get him in trouble, at the Crucible against a guy like O'Sullivan, it does seem like there's a bit of maturity missing. Not out of respect for the game or any bollocks like that, but just in playing a bit more pragmatically. 

That's why I've warmed to Selby as well. Cynically there's nothing like a good mental health story to stop the endless japes over someone's perceived lack of personality, but he's the one guy who came up to the main event level in the last crop who can do it all. It doesn't matter who he's up again, you always feel like there's a very good chance he'll just torture them for entire sessions. 

Angles is right as usual. The thing is, it's not like you've got to be a master safety player or anything, if some of these lads just got the basics of good safety and shot choice down, played the percentages a bit, they would be winning way more titles. That's what's so frustrating is they are SO bad at it. Just giving it no thought whatsoever. The only player who ever did that successfully is Hendry, but look at the competition he had in the early 90's and his ability to basically never miss a shot and you'll realise why he didn't need that aspect of the game.  

It's no coincidence that once Trump started tightening up his safety game a couple of years ago he started hoovering up titles. You'd think his buddy Lisowski might have noticed that, but even with Peter Fucking Ebdon as his coach, he just cannot seem to see any value in spending time on his safety game.

[The Gaffer]

4 hours ago, Gay as FOOK said:

Alan McManus was pretty unscrupulous on the Eurosport punditry last night, flagging that a lot of the current crop's problem is just really sticking to their guns on the stuff they're good at, and not putting in the hours practice for the stuff they're not. Brecel's great to watch but when he's taking 5-6 seconds before absolutely pelting in shots that are going to get him in trouble, at the Crucible against a guy like O'Sullivan, it does seem like there's a bit of maturity missing. Not out of respect for the game or any bollocks like that, but just in playing a bit more pragmatically. 

I'll see myself out.