Snooker

[the rev leeroy brown]

Ok, here's a debate starter for you guys.

If you look at the pool (pun intented) of players that snooker has to draw from then it's much, much smaller than, say football. If Steven Gerrard had played as much snooker as Ronnie O'Sullivan, who's to say he wouldn't have been as good or even better? After all, Gerrard has risen to the top in a sport that is far more competitive than snooker.

Say football didn't exist and snooker was our national sport, would Ronnie O'Sullivan be the greatest?
I'm not sure where I stand on it personally, but I remember a watching an interview with a tennis coach who felt that British tennis suffered because from the pool of athletes this country produces, tennis is much lower on the list than football and rugby. And I'm sure snooker would be lower still.

simply put . . . . . no.

he would go down as the most talented or most natural but steve davis or stephen hendry IMO would be known as the greatest.

[kris90210]

ok, let me re-phrase that, not the greatest, but a genius.

[CJ]

Ronnie probably has more ability than any other snooker player ever.

great to watch

it doesnt stop him being a knob does it.

Higgins was a great player but a knob too.

i dont know why if you are a fan of someone you have to ignore their flaws.

All this snooker needs him just fuels his ego. It doesnt need him there will be other player etc and in different countries.

he will never be the greatest because he doesnt apply himself as Davis or Hendry did.

[Shaggy]

I wasn't saying 'ignore their flaws'....rather, accept them. I've no problem with him giving short-shrift to interviewers anyway...in my book that doesn't make him a knob. On the contrary . And nor does making a 140 and leaving the black

Makes the sport a damn sight more interesting, that's for sure.

[CJ]

i think its the fact that people pay money to watch him and then he deems it not worth performing because there isnt a big enough prize for him to fully try

well if there isnt **** off and let other people do it.

[Shaggy]

They're getting value anyway, he'd made a 140! One more easy black off its spot really wouldn't bother me. "How very dare you, Ronald!"

Besides he potted the thing anyway so they got their maxi. Don't see any big deal.

[Neil Young]

People want him to be a genius, and then complain when he does/says crazy things. Can't have it both ways. Geniuses are always flawed nutcases. If you want him to be as dull, boring and predictable as all the others, saying all the right things, then you're better off becoming a Nigel Bond fan.

I saw a bit of Nigel Bond versus that Lee chappie. He's gone very grey.

At one point it occurred to me the game would look exactly the same if I was watching Alan Pardew's brother playing Chris Moyles.

[Neil Young]

I think isn't O'Sullivan isn't a very well man.

He is a brilliant snooker player though - far better I think than Gerrard is at football.

[Neil Young]

Federer's a genius.

And one hell of a nice guy.

[Shaggy]

I saw a bit of Nigel Bond versus that Lee chappie. He's gone very grey.

At one point it occurred to me the game would look exactly the same if I was watching Alan Pardew's brother playing Chris Moyles.

I think isn't O'Sullivan isn't a very well man.

He is a brilliant snooker player though - far better I think than Gerrard is at football.

Agree with both points.

[Shaggy]

Federer's a genius.

Good point...I agree he probably is/was.....and one of the few who isn't a raving lunatic.

[-V-]

Snookers **** though, imagine having to play that all day every day of your life?? Ronnie is a genius, you can't blame him for not always loving the game. Its just a job for him because he's so good

[Rudo]

Check out his interview

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/9016342.stm

No doubt many will find it cuntish, but I think it's well funny. Far more interesting than the usual cliché-fests.

"So Ronnie, Dennis Taylor said that was sheer genius, your tenth televised 147!!!!!!!!!"

"Thanks."

Gotta love Ronnie.

[red g]

They're getting value anyway, he'd made a 140! One more easy black off its spot really wouldn't bother me. "How very dare you, Ronald!"

Besides he potted the thing anyway so they got their maxi. Don't see any big deal.

yes but SNooker is now a relatively big betting game as well. You would have been pissed if you bet on a maximum and then he never othered with black

[Alex]

Always? No they're not. Pele. I rest my case.

Anyway, who says you can't be a fan of O'Sullivan, but still admit it when he acts like a cock? He's rightly lauded for how good he is. It is totally fair game to criticise him when he behaves like a prick.

Doesnt pele advertise Viagra now. Even he is a flawed genius. Can't get it up anymore