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.
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.
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?
Midway through the 2008 World Snooker Championship, it seems like Ronnie O’Sullivan justifies the predictions seeing him the next Snooker World Championship. The Rocket stride toward his prophesied third World title started out with his 10-5 victory over 17 years old Liu Chang and continued with his 140 break at the best of 25 frames against Mark Williams.
Currently, O’Sullivan leads 5-3, but while the post is being written the last word hasn’t been pronounced yet.In between, O’Sullivan had made some more headlines by invoking his China Open controversy. The Rocket has apologized for making sexually explicit suggestions towards the media at the press conference. Ronnie’s obscene behavior might cost him disciplinary acts.
"I don’t want to be known as somebody who causes trouble" O’Sullivan withdraws at a talk with the Guardian, "I didn’t realize the microphones and cameras were on. I was just having a joke with an individual." And at the same opportunity pats on his young first round competitor’s back, saying that the wunderkind has the perfect mechanism yet lacks the experience.
I don’t know about you, but I can find a list reasons to cross fingers for Ronnie O’Sullivan. Perhaps it’s his tragic life story, maybe his unusual talent, his puppy eyes or just the longing to an era were snooker players were self-destructive, living-on-the-edge fellows rather than the perfect, protein-shakes-drinkers most snooker players are these days, anyway, run Ronnie run!
The 2008 World Snooker Championship was commenced on Saturday, April 19 at the Crucible Theater in Sheffield. John Higgins, last year’s champion plus Mark King, Ryan Day, Stephen Hendry, Joe Swail, Peter Ebdon, Allister Carter, Neil Robertson and Stuart Bingham have already ensured their spot at the next (best of 25 frames) round.
The most expected collusion between the two Asian snooker heroes Chinese Ding Junhui and Marco Fu Hong Kong ended with Ding’s triumph 10-9. Ding Junhui will be playing on the next round against no other than 7-times world champion Stephen Hendry. Their final match was broadcast at 6 in the morning China local time and drew about 100 million viewers.
However, it seems you didn’t have to be their compatriot to appreciate their long series of matches. In more than one report, the two were described as true World Championship material, demonstrating smart breaks, elegant safeties and a row of centuries. Ding has certainly proved to the world and he can’t be farther than the state of a slump…
First round of Ding Junhui vs. Marco Fu
On the other hand, Mark Selby, the finalist of 2007 World Snooker Championship has slipped out of the competition after losing 10-8 to Mark King. His losing puts a question mark on the continuation of his career and in an interview he admitted reconsidering his future at the sports.
Another highly anticipated match that can glue milliard Chinese to their TV sofas is today’s Lui Chang vs. Ronnie O’sullivan, where the 17-years-old prodigy will be competing against the bookmaker’s favorite whom, up until Chang’s arrival, was the holder of the youngest player to make a debut at a World Snooker Championship record.
The most important event in the snooker world will be opened on Saturday at the Crucible, Sheffield. The media in UK and East Asia, the areas in which the snooker game is highly popular, can’t hide its excitement. Some news and updates from the past few days:
Antrim Times, Mark Allen’s hometown’s local paper, is holding its breath for the upcoming match between the uprising snooker star and the 7-times World Champion Stephen Hendry. In a demonstration of local patriotism, they declare that Hendry’s "best days are behind him". Allen shows more cautiousness saying that "he is still a dangerous opponent and on his day he is capable of beating anyone on the circuit…" Allen’s dream, however, is to meet Mark Fu on his next round.
Speaking of Fu, AFP marks his match against Ding Junhui as the highly anticipated game in the first round of the World Snooker Championship. Chinese Ding Junhui is a national hero in his homeland whom back in 2005 China open had drawn about 10 million Chinese viewers to the TV screens. However, the former snooker prodigy current state is described (by Mark Allen from the previous item as well) as "…in the midst of form slump". In a recent media conference, strong willed Ding has stated: "I want to try my best at the world championships…I know media and fans doubt my consistency, so I have something to prove this time."
The World Snooker Association, the international governing body of the sports, has been facing some accusations of its own. Attacked by anonymous snooker champs for the WSA weakness, its incapability of drawing major sponsors and failure in creating a world tour that can equivalent with those organized in tennis or in golf, and in general inability to bring back snooker golden age, snooker’s governing body is now standing on its back feet defending their means. Speaking to The Herald, the WSA representative has spoke about securing the BBC contract and signing a new one with Eurosport plus creating more and more tournaments in new spots across the globe.
And finally, which American author was buried with his snooker cue?
The answer is: Roald Dahl who authored Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Gremlins, James and the Giant Peach and other children’s classics. (Q&A taken from New York Magazine)
The Billiard Congress of America (BCA), the biggest non-profit pool association in the US is celebrating its 60th anniversary. To mark this event, the BCA is updating the official rules of several pool games including 8ball and 9ball and the recently added 10ball pool game.
The updated version of BCA official billiard games rules is all wrapped and up for sale (via the BCA website, for example) in a special BCA 60th Anniversary Edition of Billiards: Official Rules & Records Book. The book includes the latest version of 8ball pool, 9ball, 14.1 continuous, one pocket and 10-ball rules, this year record breaking achievements in cue sports as well as billiard tips, tournaments results, biographies of the BCA hall of famers and more.
In short, what’s new in 8ball and 9ball pool games:
8ball rules - If a player pockets the opponent’s object ball, then the opponent is required to declare a foul prior to his next shot; otherwise, the other player will take over his group of object balls.
9ball rules – a new category "Stalemate" has been added: the referee can decide a stalemate if non of the players can win from the current position, and allow each of the players to play three additional turns at the table. If both players are still not rescued from their dead end positions, the balls will be re-racked and the breaker will break again.
Stephen Maguire defeated Shaun Murphy 10-9 in the final match of the 2008 World Snooker China Open, held yesterday at the Students University Stadium in Beijing. For Maguire, it was the latest win in a row of successes following his triumph at the Northern Ireland Trophy, his runner up at the UK Championship and his current 147 maximum break at the China Open semi-finals.
By collecting the 2008 World Snooker China Open championship, Maguire, 27, joins a limited, noble list of snooker players who had won in four ranking titles; Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Mark Williams and Jimmy White are among them. In addition to the respectable title, Maguire took home £72,000 prize including £22,000 prize for his 147 maximum break. Next month, he will be facing Anthony Hamilton in the first round of the 2008 World Snooker Championship.
25-years-old Shaun Murphy, 2008 World Snooker China Open runner up, is still placed at the top of the current world ranking despite his surprising defeat to Maguire. At the opening round of the 2008 World Snooker Championship he will be playing against Dave Harold.
