Snooker players are not the only ones having problems with their organizations. Across the Atlantic, American pool players deal with delay of payments, sponsorship shortage, sudden changes in ranking systems and other kinds of messes. Therefore, Mark Griffin, the CEO of the BCA Pool League, plans to take charge on the future of the professional sportsmen in the country. 

In his efforts to improve things for American pro pool players, Griffin promises to launch a new billiard tournament with more than $200,000 in added prize money, and to offer a stable, long lasting financial support for pro players to replace their dependency on temporary sponsorship, and might even include a health insurance. To make it possible, the pro pool players in America will have to kick off a new association. 

Griffin’s thinking out loud come in a very good timing, not long after the United States Professional Pool Players Association stand making against the World Pool-Billiard Association, the international parent organization of the BCA. In putting the initiation of a new pool players organization a condition for the implementation of his promising plans, Griffin answers the UPA arguments. About the same time, some leading snooker players have attacked, anonymously the World Snooker Association, arguing the organization fails in promoting the sports to the same level as golf or other sports.

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The quarrel between the two Philippine governing bodies puts the 10-ball and 9-ball world championships in risk.

Not winning his first World Snooker Championship, didn’t break Ali Carter’s spirit, since only a couple of weeks later the chap had triumphed the 2008 Huangshan Cup Snooker All-star Game. Carter faced Hong Kong snooker phenomena Marco Fu, whom despite his amazing 139 break that followed a tight 3-3 score, had lost the final matches, setting the score on 5-3, and handing the title to 2008 World Snooker runner-up. 

Meanwhile, Chinese snooker superstar Ding Junhui, who made it to the third place at the Huangshan Cup, had announced its intentions to donate his entire winning bonus (150,000 yuan which equivalents to about 20,000 U.S. dollars) to the Sichuan Province earthquake victims.

Billiards is recognized as sports by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). So is bridge, chess and life saving. Then why snooker isn’t recognized as an Olympic sport? Alex Alsworth asks in Sportingo and provides all the supporting arguments. Snooker is a far more popular and fascinating spectators sports than, let’s say, shooting. Snooker also has the potential to draw wider audiences than American-oriented games as baseball (just think of the millions who’ve watched the Ding Junhui playing against Marc Fu at the first round of the 2008 World Snooker Championship).

In addition, the claim as if snooker players don’t overwork their muscles nor sweat too much becomes irrelevant when competing against archery for example. However, the chances you’ll see Ronnie O’sullivan kissing his gold medal on the 2012 Olympic games are rather lame, and not because The Rocket is threatening to retire of snooker. Currently, golf, squash and karate are the chief candidates to be introduced at the next Olympics. And since karate is a form or art, squash pours tons of sweats and golf as an upscale image, snooker can wait in queue for some time.

By now you probably know who the 2008 World Snooker Champion is. Yet, looking at today’s UK sports websites headlines, O’sullivan’s future remains unclear. The Press Association hints that "O’Sullivan torn between two paths", while the Guardian chooses a more confident approach "O’Sullivan threatens to quit after cruising to his third world title", but at the same time states that "Quick-fire win confirms that O’Sullivan is in class of his own". And we haven’t reviewed the poetic headlines such as this one, from the Independent describing The Rocket as "…Tortured soul who defies convention pacifies his demons" and at another article as "…O’Sullivan brush strokes create a vivid third title". Comparing his cue work to brush strokes is not an accidental metaphor. Apparently, the UK media (or at least the Independent) likes to see the newly crowned champion, who’d talked previously on his battles with clinical depression, as the cue sports equivalent of Van Gogh, and his family background only makes it all more dramatic. In the meantime, time will tell whether Ronnie O’Sullivan will be heading to the 2009 World Snooker Championship or he will be hanging his cue and withdraw while he is still ahead.

Fighting his demons

As for today, only 7 frames stand between Ronnie O’sullivan and his third World title. Yesterday, The Rocket had overplayed Ali Carter, number 14 in the 2007 World ranking, in 5 of the 8 frames in the second session of the 2008 World Snooker Championship. By that he drew a larger step towards the 2008 World Championship.

Though the odds are not on Carter’s side, it is too early to celebrate The Rocket’s third championship, which, if claimed, will make him only the third snooker player to make gather more than two titles at the Crucible (preceded him Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry).

So, there are still few hours left to play what if. What if Ali Carter, who played the semi finals for the first time, will surprise everyone and take the World Championship? Will Ronnie O’sullivan, who constantly threatens to drop out of the game, stand behind his word? And if so, who will replace him?