17.12.08

SPARKLING PERRY

Worldsnooker.com described Ronnie O'Sullivan's concession in the 12th frame of his second round match of the Maplin UK Championship with Joe Perry trailing 23-0 as 'impetuous' and I for one am not going to disagree with the governing body.

It was unprofessional and O'Sullivan is likely to be fined.

Greatness in sport is not so much measured by how well you perform when things are going well but by how you respond when things are going badly.

O'Sullivan's answer to this was to throw his cue at the white and concede.

I prefer to focus on how well Perry played.

Here is a player who does not want 2008 to end. He began it as someone who seemed consigned to spend each season closely studying the provisional rankings to see if he would make the top 16.

He is now seventh and looks likely to end the campaign as a top eight player.

Good luck to Joe. He stuck to his task and his run in Telford follows his capture of the Championship League title, run to the Premier League semi-finals and appearance in the last four at the Crucible.

At the age of 34 he is a late developer. However, his development has not come too late and his professionalism tonight should be applauded.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Completely agree, O'Sullivan's reaction was petulant and he was rightly warned, though I don't suppose he cares much judging by his reaction:

"I'm just going to get a little £250 fine and a disciplinary letter. I don't care. I've had a few of them, and I'm sure I'll get a few more of them in the future. I was just happy to get out of the arena and have a cup of tea."

Well done to Joe though, his great play put him under that pressure in the first place and it's good to finally see him into the quarter-finals of a ranking event this year, deservedly so after some of his draws.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely. Joe's performance yesterday, but also throuhout 2008, has been excellent on all accounts and deserves the highest praising.
It's time he lifts a trophy and maybe this UK Championship might be his. Good luck Joe!

Anonymous said...

It was, as always, sad to see Ronnie fall apart. The red that pushed him over the edge wasn't an easy pot - but it was apparently enough.

Anonymous said...

Couldn't agree more; Joe is developed into a serious matchplayer who has now the selfbelieve that can make him win matches he would have lost before.

His performance yesterday was very solid and he got Sullivan in all sorts of trouble.

Sullivan's walk-away (again!) was a prove of his mental state and lack of respect for opponent, public and most important, the game itself.

I hope he gets himself together, as I don't see him carrying on for years...

Anonymous said...

Totally agree. Ronnie needs to grow up. "I for one" - should that not read "I for once" Dave?

Anonymous said...

and what about to fine Mark Davis too? he withdraw match due to illness when he was 0-2 down. or Ian McCulloch - he withdraw tournament too. Ronnie isn't machine, he played poor game and he felt cold, he lost the chance to defend title. why to fine him more? do you really want to lose him?

Dave H said...

He'll been fined because he broke the rules

The other two players you mention didn't

Anonymous said...

Well done Joe Perry- I believe Ronnie when he said he was outplayed and the best man won on the day. Keep up the great matchplay Joe.
John H

Anonymous said...

to Dave H. - he broke the rules because conceded frame? you cannot concede the frame when you are sure that your opponent is able to clean the table and you feel ill? sorry, but it's stupid rule. when tennis player feels he/she isn't capable to continue, he/she can concede the game too, so why not snooker player? or just Ronnie cannot?

jamie brannon said...

I think Ronnie showed a lack of respect for the crowd with his concession, I think journos should, but they pander to him as he gives the sport attention. I adore Ronnie but I was very angry after I had paid good money to see him.

Anonymous said...

Yeah fair play Joe Perry.

Anonymous said...

well done joe

not well done ronnie WRT the dummy spitting

Anonymous said...

Dana - I hope you are very ill at work one day and unable to do your job and are then fined for going home sick..then you may realise what a ridiculous comment you have made about Mark Davis.

The Ronnie O'Sullivan incident was totally different.

Anonymous said...

Dana, and others,

For thosde who do not know, the snooker game has a rule called "ungentlemanly conduct". Under this rule fall various things, one of which is the "concession rule". This rule clearly states that a player MAY not concede if there are still enough points remaining on the table to be able to win.

Lately, this rule has been aplied even when the black is over a pocket and the player who put it there is less than 7 behind. Concession then WILL result (rigthly imho) to warning as it's considered bad form.

Cheers.

Anonymous said...

to no-name anonymous - thanks a lot for your wish, but there is a problem, which you didn't understand - I REALLY don't want ANY punishment for Mark, John or any other player who isn't able to finish his match due to illness. I just wanted to show you, that you have one benchmark for Ronnie and other for the rest of players. Other players can concede their matches due to illness but Ronnie cannot. He hasn't law to be ill. Nevertheless thank you for your kind wish once more.

Dave H said...

He didn't concede the match, he conceded a frame, and it wasn't through ill health but frustration

He will accept the fine, as he has in the past, and get on with the next tournament

Bearing in mind other events this week it's no big deal

Anonymous said...

Dana, Ronnie wasn't ill and he was absolutely fair about himself and said it was frustration - in no other sport can you get away with it (aside from illness) It's like a football team walking off when 3-0 down before the end, or a tennis player saying at 4-0 down 'let's get on with the next set' it was unprofessional and bad for the paying public. At that scoreline, there was no guarantee that the frame was over.

Anonymous said...

First: He said he has a cold, second: depression is illness and believe me, not easy illness, but you are of course right, snooker will be much better without him, so punish him more and more and he will definitely fulfill your wish - to leave the snooker :-/

Anonymous said...

to Mal - do you really think Perry is so poor player, that he wasn't able to clean the table after Ronnie's mistake? IMO the frame was over and Ronnie's opinion was the same as mine

Dave H said...

No frame is over at 23-0

Ronnie didn't make any excuses and neither should anyone else

Anonymous said...

It is very clear from the various comments above that Dana will support Ronnie whatever he does and will not view the situation objectively... as stated it is ungentlemanly conduct to concede a frame when you do not need snookers simple as that, be it Ronnie or anyone else. If you are ill and have to concede the match that is a totally different affair. You are not expected to struggle on until the end of a frame! It is not considered ungentlemanly to be ill. Conceding through frustration is not an illness.

Anonymous said...

to no-name anonymous - I'm not prepared to support him WHATEVER he does, but I can't understand why do you want to punish him for every mistake he does. He is just man and not machine and he has right to do mistake. If I were him, I wouldn't want to do job, where is punished each my mistake. How about you? Sometimes is necessary to swept the matter from the mind and not to ruin man with constant punishments. It's hard to do your job, if your know that each your mistake will be punished.

Anonymous said...

i am sure ros knows its against the rules to do what he did.

if i did something that was against the rules in my job my boss would warn and punish me. if i did things against the rules several times id be out of a job.

shame this isnt the case in snooker as we would be rid of someone who repeatedly does it....maybe