A welcome return for Ronnie

[Dan-cat]

Jimmy should be on a pension from B+H the amount of goodness he gave that tournament. Sadly, it's too late for the dear departed bloke on my t-shirt

[gavpowell]

Damn, apologies for that, forgot their rule about reigning champ. So if he were to drop out the 16, 16th in the world stays at home grumpy. I think this has happened recently but I can't remember the exact case. Did it involve Ronnie?

The most notable occasion I recall is when Ian McCulloch finally achieved his dream of breaking into the top 16...the year Murphy won the world championship as a qualifier, thus pushing him into 17th.

I lose track of the way the draws are organised but Masters wildcards aren't a new idea, so they could always do that and allow the full 16 to compete. But does anyone on the tour truly expect Ronnie to ever rank lower than 16th?

[Big Splash!]

The most notable occasion I recall is when Ian McCulloch finally achieved his dream of breaking into the top 16...the year Murphy won the world championship as a qualifier, thus pushing him into 17th.

I lose track of the way the draws are organised but Masters wildcards aren't a new idea, so they could always do that and allow the full 16 to compete. But does anyone on the tour truly expect Ronnie to ever rank lower than 16th?

I didn't expect him to fall to 10th before he retired. But hey, players decline and he's 40 now, so anything is possible. He could rise to the top again or drop out. You just never know with Ronnie. I think the year he won (2013) after 12mths off, was he down to the 20s for ranking purposes?

[mikeyd100]

There's an explanation of his 'mad moments' in his book, including the shaving of his head mid-worlds. Towel on the head against Mark King is very funny. Along the lines of

''I was playing Mark King. Some players you can watch and enjoy and think: 'You know what, I'm getting a pasting here, but I've got the best seat in the house' - Stephen Hendry, John Higgins, and you're going you know that this geeza's class, but I'm playing Mark King and there's nothing good about watching him play.

He probably knows he's a hacker. He's not one of those who thinks he's brilliant. He's honest and open. He knows he's done unbelievably well for the talent he's got. He's a bit of a banger. He's got no touch. But he's more fight and spirit in him than anyone in the game. Having said that, sitting there and watching him play isn't a dream day out.

Everything he does is wrong; the way the stands, the way he holds his bridge hand, the way he flicks it in, there's nothing smooth about the way he plays. So, no disrespect to Mark, okay, a bit of disrespect to Mark - I had to put the wet towel over my head so that I didn't see it. And I was afraid I'd be able to see him through the towel. So, as I put it over my head I thought, Christ, can I still see him? But I couldn't, thankfully........................................ .........

.................................There are loads I can't bear watching. In some ways that's why I wish I was **** because then I wouldn't notice all their faults. Sometimes I wish I wasn't so aware of what makes certain players good and certain players bad.''

He ain't seen INMB yet though...

Anyway, everyone should read his book, so go get a copy now!

Hahaha, you sold it to me man, quite an honest "review" he does of Kingy, I'll go with that. He does backhand compliment him too.
The head shaving was interersting.
Does he mention anything about when he clawed at his head in frustration ??

[Big Splash!]

Hahaha, you sold it to me man, quite an honest "review" he does of Kingy, I'll go with that. He does backhand compliment him too.
The head shaving was interersting.
Does he mention anything about when he clawed at his head in frustration ??

He got his head shaved in the middle of a match at the worlds because he thought he looked crap with long hair, so he asked Mickey the Mullet to get the clippers out and do a no.1. Next match was Ebdon in the quarters. He scratched, clawed and drew blood from his head because Ebdon tortured him so badly with his cockwomble play, including the infamous 5 minute 12pt break (18 feathers on the pink). Ronnie was asking the audience the time to work out how much session was left, it was that bad for him.

[mikeyd100]

He got his head shaved in the middle of a match at the worlds because he thought he looked crap with long hair, so he asked Mickey the Mullet to get the clippers out and do a no.1. Next match was Ebdon in the quarters. He scratched, clawed and drew blood from his head because Ebdon tortured him so badly with his cockwomble play, including the infamous 5 minute 12pt break (18 feathers on the pink). Ronnie was asking the audience the time to work out how much session was left, it was that bad for him.

I think that was a pretty bad moment for Ronnie, he really did lose it that time, could have been worse - he could have punched Ebdon haha.
The sick side of me says that Ebdon did what he had to do <<<< As much as I hate to say it.

[denja]

Question ? Do you think he gets his fare and hotel paid for or does he foot the bill himself ? always wondered if sponsers do this for big names in order to get bums on seats.

[Big Splash!]

Question ? Do you think he gets his fare and hotel paid for or does he foot the bill himself ? always wondered if sponsers do this for big names in order to get bums on seats.

Indeed, I think the Chinese sponsors do. He says in his book that Django got him to China and he just had to turn up for an extra 30k. Bazza had a row with Ronnie about Ronnie demanding extra dough for appearance money in the UK but I think he turns a blind eye to what the Chinese sponsors wish to do. But hey, Ronnie couldn't care less about money as he says. :snooker::biggrin-new:

[Big Splash!]

I think that was a pretty bad moment for Ronnie, he really did lose it that time, could have been worse - he could have punched Ebdon haha.
The sick side of me says that Ebdon did what he had to do <<<< As much as I hate to say it.

Refs need to stamp out time wasting. All the pros can pot magically and quickly in practice. If they have trouble focusing in a match, they need to hand their cards back. Basic shots should be no more than 30 seconds. If it's a toughie or position is hard to work out, or they're snookered, different story. The refs need to apply 30secs as a rough guide line. Ronnie had won 4/8 tournaments that year and the grinding by Ebdon ruined his season. Fans travel a long way to see matches and have to drive home. Idiots like Ebdon making them get home in the early hours due to complete selfishness and gamesmanship is disgraceful. The rules are there to stop this: REFS...............MAN UP!

[itsnoteasy]

I wouldn't play Ebdon down the club, unless we came to an eighty/ twenty split agreement on the light.

[Big Splash!]

The word I got from Virgo who has been accompanying Ronnie on his exhi tour is that Ronnie really wants the Worlds back and is gunning for it by entering so many tournaments. He's hitting a lot of tons on tour. We'll see in Shanghai what nick he is in. His mind seems to be in a good place and his bank balance bulging at 10k a night.

[mikeyd100]

Refs need to stamp out time wasting. All the pros can pot magically and quickly in practice. If they have trouble focusing in a match, they need to hand their cards back. Basic shots should be no more than 30 seconds. If it's a toughie or position is hard to work out, or they're snookered, different story. The refs need to apply 30secs as a rough guide line. Ronnie had won 4/8 tournaments that year and the grinding by Ebdon ruined his season. Fans travel a long way to see matches and have to drive home. Idiots like Ebdon making them get home in the early hours due to complete selfishness and gamesmanship is disgraceful. The rules are there to stop this: REFS...............MAN UP!

Agreed, it was way over the top but he knew it would crack Ronnie up. Now like you say the refs could play a part in stamping sh1t like that out.
Take Selby for example, his gameplay I can handle, although I'm a Ronnie fan I can appreciate Selby.

[Big Splash!]

Agreed, it was way over the top but he knew it would crack Ronnie up. Now like you say the refs could play a part in stamping sh1t like that out.
Take Selby for example, his gameplay I can handle, although I'm a Ronnie fan I can appreciate Selby.

Ebdon turned pro a bit before Ronnie. Look at his game, it's dreadful. This is a guy who made a ten minute 147 with a rack cue. He decided to deliberately go slower in matches to frustrate opponents and focus more, win/win situation he thought. But that lack of rhythm has destroyed his game. The class of 92 are still playing beautifully. Ebdon is playing like a cockwomble but its too late now. Once you put stupid ideas in your head for years on end and really believe them, you're scuppered. Ebdon screwed his own snooker brain.

[mikeyd100]

Ebdon turned pro a bit before Ronnie. Look at his game, it's dreadful. This is a guy who made a ten minute 147 with a rack cue. He decided to deliberately go slower in matches to frustrate opponents and focus more, win/win situation he thought. But that lack of rhythm has destroyed his game. The class of 92 are still playing beautifully. Ebdon is playing like a cockwomble but its too late now. Once you put stupid ideas in your head for years on end and really believe them, you're scuppered. Ebdon screwed his own snooker brain.

Agreed, several mates and I believe Ebdon runs himself into the ground with his tactics. Maybe on the odd occasion it will work for him, mainly when the opponent thinks f-it, I cant be bothered with this.
Compare him when he came onto the scene - he was a pretty handy player.

[andy carson]

The Chinese sponsors must be punting him some large back-door dough, maybe 20-30k just for turning up. I think he said that Django had arranged something similar in the past in China. I love the guy and I've nearly finished his book 'Running' which has some fascinating insights about the game, how to play it, and his life. I'd recommend this book to all snooker players. But he's still his worst enemy at times, the biggest chav cockwomble in snooker, just as Alex was back in the day. But you gotta love Ronnie, he's a naughty talented boy! Who prefers a run to a game of snooker, bizarrely.

how dare you compare the great alex higgins to a crybaby little tart like ronnie