Fatty Facesitter's Snooker Loopy thread

[The Gaffer]

Yeah I can't remember a worse crowd. I have pretty good tolerance for that kind of thing but I was constantly physically cringing and it sapped the enjoyment from it. It got to Carter big time too, but that's just a pressure you've got to shoulder if you're at that level. He did have his biggest fan/his mam there in the stands somewhere though, whatever crotchety old lady kept shouting "You're the better man Ali!" and - incredibly at one point - "Mash mister misery!" 

Considering he mouths off about everything else it's bound to get to Ronnie too so fair play it's clearly not a line he's willing to cross, knowing the fan support is part of the package. 

To think some people actually want these tournaments to have more of a darts atmosphere. 

[Loki]

27 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

Didn't watch it, in what way? Were the usual "GO ON RONNIE!!!" wankers out in force?

Yup, well lubricated too.  I think a couple of them got into it with Ali Carter too, he was arguing with them at one point.

Edit: yeah what @Gay as FOOK said (time for a name change old fella?)  

Edited January 14 by Loki

[Jonny Vegas]

I don't remember the name of it but towards the end of last year I caught some orf what I assume is a new snooker tournament on Sky which had more of a darts crowd.

It was absolutely shite. The mid interval package of past UK Championship moments just made me realise how much I miss old snooker and the characters we used to have in the game.

[The Gaffer]

13 minutes ago, Loki said:

(time for a name change old fella?)  

[SuperBacon]

I don't have an issue with people clapping or cheering on an important pot or at the end of a frame, it's just the complete and utter inappropriateness at which people do it and the timings. Do you really need to shout every time someone goes to the table?

It's always so jarring as well, and maybe its me being reserved and well, British, but I always get embarrassed for them.

You've just shouted out "Go on Ronnie my son" and now you have to sit in silence with everyone else with them knowing it was you, and looking at you. Could never be me!

At least when I go to football and call the ref a cunt, I'm one of 30,000 people in a massive crowd doing the same, not in a tiny silent theatre.

[Jonny Vegas]

BRING IT HOME RONNIE!

Was another shout I believe near the start of the final frame. Snooker just isn't, hasn't ever been and shouldn't ever be a shouting out sport. It's a polite applause sport with the occasional cheer at huge moments not just randomly throughout. 

Another thing for me is the crowd cheering or applauding absolutely random or very basic shots quite regularly. I feel like crowds used to be much more knowledgeable. Now it's like it's populated with pissed up arseholes who just saw people clapping at the snooker on TV and just copy it without understanding why.

[Scratch]

I can see how having the ear piece and being able to hear the commentators could add to watching it live, but it winds me up when someone says something slightly amusing from the commentary box and it causes half the crowd to randomly laugh. That must be horrible for everyone else, especially the players.

But yeah, fuck rowdy snooker crowds. Light applause is more than sufficient.

I can’t imagine snooker without Ronnie O’Sullivan, he truly is a one off. Any other competitor with his attitude, outbursts and what could often be seen as a lack of respect would be universally disliked. But it seems everyone likes him, and kind of feels a bit sorry for him as he clearly has his struggles in life.

I totally agree with what Virgo said last night though. Show me another sportsperson who’s as good and has been so good for so long. I truly believe Snooker is the hardest game to master, and he’s so far above the number of players who have at some point in their career been second best, it’s unreal.

The game will miss him immensely when he hangs up his cue for good.

Here’s a thought - if Ronnie O’Sullivan is the best player to ever pick up a cue, whose would you say is the best player to have never picked up a cue?

[Carbomb]

11 minutes ago, Scratch said:

Here’s a thought - if Ronnie O’Sullivan is the best player to ever pick up a cue, whose would you say is the best player to have never picked up a cue?

Surely there's no way to know?

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

I would pay good money to see Ronnie play himself right-handed v left-handed. I think it would be close. Perhaps to keep him interested 

[Jonny Vegas]

1 hour ago, Scratch said:

I can’t imagine snooker without Ronnie O’Sullivan, he truly is a one off. Any other competitor with his attitude, outbursts and what could often be seen as a lack of respect would be universally disliked. But it seems everyone likes him, and kind of feels a bit sorry for him as he clearly has his struggles in life.

It's a weird one for me. Would I go as far as to say i liked him? No, probably not. He's almost certainly a twat of a guy but as you've said he clearly has stuff going on that contributes to that.

For me I guess the most part for enjoying watching him play and wanting him to win the majority of the time is trying to seperate the snooker player from the person.

As much as he is in my opinion a bit ot a twat, he's undoubtedly the best player to ever pick up a snooker cue and has been ridiculously entertaining to watch for 30 years.

To my knowledge he's not an alleged wife beater like Jimmy White or Alex Higgins. There's a thin line between knowing youre the best who's ever done it like he is and being up your own arse like Shaun Murphy is.

I think overall him being a moany bastard and knowing he's so important to the game that he can do and say more than anyone else whilst on occasion actually making some valid points isn't hard for me to look past.

There's also been plenty of times as well where I think he's came across rather well. He seems to adore his kids and last season at the worlds after all of the big talk from Vafaei in the build up to their match, Ronnie could have absolutely buried him off the table after doing so on it but he chose not to. 

I'd love him to win the World's now and do the triple crown in one season. It sort of feels like one of if not the only thing left for him. Break the record world title's and do that all in one. 

Only other person that I really want to see win it this year otherwise is Kyren Wilson.

Edited January 15 by Jonny Vegas

[SuperBacon]

I would urge anyone who hasn't seen the Ronnie documentary on Prime to watch it.

[Gus Mears]

Usually he walks a balance, but he's been a right cunt the past week between moaning about the venue, slagging off other players, saying the sport which has made him a millionaire is shit etc. etc. Usually you might get one of those in a week, but the whole O'Sullivan gripes bingo card has been filled.

Ali Carter is a tosser. But this was O'Sullivan's response to Carter's criticisms of the Masters final crowd (and a pretty light barb at O'Sullivan within it).

Quote

“He needs to sort his f***ing life out,” an irate O'Sullivan began. “I’m not going to skirt around it anymore, tip-toeing on egg shells around someone like that. He’s a f***ing nightmare.

“Playing snooker against someone like that is a nightmare. He’s not a nice person. It’s not a nice vibe he leaves around the table. I’ve said my piece, I don’t give a s**t. I’ve said it now, done.

"You know what he’s like, everybody knows what he’s like. He’s got issues. F***ing why has he got issues with me? I’m not having it. I don’t care, grow some balls.

“I don’t give a f**k, I don’t give a f**k about any of these snooker players, any of them. The more he brings it on, the more I f***ing punish him every time. He’s just digging a grave for himself.

“I don’t give a f**k. That’s it, I’ve said my piece.” O’Sullivan added: “He’s got beef with me. He’s got issues, he’s got to sort his life out, he’s got to see a counsellor or something.

“He’s got to deal with that because that’s no good. He’s got to sort it out, because I haven’t spoken to him for 20 years. I played with him when he was a kid and shared a lot of stuff with him. For him to come out and try to trash talk me like that, do you know what?

“He can have one of them [middle finger], he can sit on it as far as I’m concerned.”

World Grand Prix this week as well, lads. ITV 4, half the crowd falling asleep and no noise outside a century break. Proper snooker.

Edited January 16 by Gus Mears

[Loki]

I wonder what the beef is between them? It seems mainly on Ronnie's side, I haven't seen Carter say anything particularly apart from saying Ronnie is the greatest player of all time.

Edit: I really dislike Sean Murphy and it annoys the hell out of me that he's also commentating, I don't think you can really be a top 16 player and be impartial on commentary.  Difficult to put my finger on it, he's smug and all his features are smushed into the centre of his face.

 

Edited January 16 by Loki

[Jonny Vegas]

4 hours ago, Gus Mears said:

Ali Carter is a tosser. But this was O'Sullivan's response to Carter's criticisms of the Masters final crowd (and a pretty light barb at O'Sullivan within it).

World Grand Prix this week as well, lads. ITV 4, half the crowd falling asleep and no noise outside a century break. Proper snooker.

Ali Carter was just asked about Ronnie's comments in his interview before his match at the WGP here to which he replied "I actually feel a bit sorry for him, I don't think he's that well, mentally".

Thing is for me whilst that may well be the case, Carter firing out snide comments like that towards someone who has openly had struggles with their mental health is just wanker behaviour and if anything in my opinion only helps to support Ronnie's comments that he's a tosser.

Edited January 16 by Jonny Vegas

[Loki]

I don’t think being open about your mental health gives you a pass on being an arsehole though.  Given what Ronnie said about him in that interview, this seems a relatively mild comeback.