Ahh The Snooker and May Bank Holiday!
So I did something proper self-indulgent this last week, well suited a bloke in his 50s - I watched somne damned Snooker, live from The Crucible, in Sheffield...
It's a funny old game is Snooker - and of course it's not just a game - it feels like it's playing role defending our national identity -
It used to be purely a Brits thing - back in the 1980s Cliff Thorborne and Steve Davis, and jumpers for goalposts. OOoh yeah.
But now of course it's all very much more international - there were at least three Chinese in this year's main stages...
But there's something about this year's tournament - with the event still in Sheffield for the next 20 odd years and seeing Jon Higgins looking like Phil Mitchell hold his own, until he was defeated by Shaune Murphy, and of course the old players come commentators....
It all felt just a bit like everything is OK with the world again this May Bank Holiday.
All a total myth of course, and that young Chinese kid is probably going to win,
But there you go, I'll take a bit mythic nostalgia over a few beers at home alone!
And we got treated this year to that bizarre longest frame ever too....
Everyone loves a bit of safety, right?!?
I remember Dennis Taylor and his upside down glasses along with Stephen Hendry. I have not played or watched snooker in years as it is not a main stream sport for television. The BBC used to cover this and possibly why international viewers are not seeing this.
I imagine very few people outside of Britain give a toss, maybe some people in China now, it is very niche! Getting more global though.
I love the snooker. Watched the final from beginnning to end... all 10 hours of it.
I've got to be honest, I think it is the length of time that a snooker match takes to be played that put many off. Another consideration is that few understand just how hard it is! I play in an Amateur Pool League (very high standard of Amateur Players), and when you understand the nuances of spin, and how this technique relates to white ball positioning, the game of snooker takes on a whole new level of facination.
Lol, I can barely keep that white ball under tight control on a 6/4 foot english pool table, the mind boggles at what they can do on those larger snooker tables.
You're right though about snooker being quintessentially british, I think Cricket and Snooker are the two most Brit sports in there style.
Anyway, looks like the Chinese are embracing the sport (and two W champion winners in a row) as well.
I also watched the snooker back in the 80's and 90's when it seemed a little less buttoned down. I love the clips of Alex Higgins and the like from the 70's smoking and drinking pints while playing on the TV.... those were the days 😂
Nowt self indugent about watching the snooker... although my girlfriend would disagree 🤣
I love it, what's your take on the 'Wuuu' chants - I'm sure it's in joke amongst a good chunk of the crowd, like actually really booing. Not sure...?
I'd like to think that it is just them cheering him on with his name... but I think you're prob right and it's just inherant nationalism. Like they don't really want a chinese player to win.
Aftewr all you don't hear people chanting Jud Jud Jud when Jud Trump plays.
I am following Snooker Since 2014, and I still remember in 2015, Mark Williams provided comedy by getting into a physical stand-off with a persistent fly that refused to leave his nose !LOLZ. Whether it's Tony Knowles handing a cough drop to a noisy spectator or Cliff Thorburn accidentally shaking hands after a foul, these moments prove that even the most SERIOUS sport has a hilarious side.