So to celebrate – if that’s the word I’m looking for – the fourth birthday of this blog, which falls tomorrow, I have undertaken a radical redesign.
Well a redesign, anyway.
Green is the colour, snooker is the game. Plus, as it’s a brave new era (and it really might be this time) it seemed right to change.
When I started this blog in 2006 the idea was to augment the monthly magazine with news, opinion and insight into the snooker world.
Since then I have rambled on at great length about most aspects of the game: the good, the bad and the downright ugly.
Snooker is now entering a new phase, one we all hope will lead it to increased success.
It is my hope that this is built on a global vision. Snooker is no longer flavour of the month in the UK but there are many other worlds to conquer, many millions of people who have got into the game in more recent years or, indeed, or yet to discover it.
The omens are good. Barry Hearn is a genius at developing niche markets and packaging sport for television in ways that make it attractive. With the game’s appeal in places like Germany and China and Hearn’s considerable skills and energy we could be about to enter a new golden era.
I forgive anyone wearily shaking their heads with cynicism as they read this. I know these magical breakthroughs have come along before and never quite been realised.
But the game reached a point last year where it was obvious to just about everyone that something had to give...and now it has. The WPBSA’s power has been largely marginalised and the sport is in the hands of a benevolent dictator, thankfully one who likes snooker and understands sports promotion.
I’m sure Barry will do things I disagree with – and I’ll say so – but he has my support because snooker has been needing radical change for years and that’s what it’s going to get.
Yes, I know there are problems and I know there are challenges but there are also opportunities...to take snooker to new markets, to freshen up its image and to stamp out once and for all the truly contemptible shadow of match-fixing.
So I’ll keep blogging and hopefully both my loyal readers will keep reading. I appreciate all – OK well most – of the comments and if you have any suggestions for content, I would love to read them.
Also, if you have a snooker blog or website of your own, drop me a line at snookersceneblog@aol.com and I’ll add it to the links section on the right.
49 comments:
Hi Dave, thank you for your blog and all the information.
I wish you all the best into the future. ;-)
Content over appearance every time but yuk!
I don't really have any suggestions as such, but just wanted to thank you for writing this blog. It is a fantastic resource and makes me feel close to the inside track in the game.
I share the optimism of the new era. There is no sports promoter like Barry. He will succeed.
like it
It's not a good augury that Barry Hearn promised that the John Higgins affair would be settled in "days and weeks, not months", and he's already failed to deliver on that.
Is it any more likely that he will be able to deliver on anything else?
Barry's not in charge of the disciplinary process.
It is interesting looking back at how few comments you got when this was introduced, so you have done a good job.
I think the global vision is of primary importance, but it's important not to forget the UK and help rebuild it as it is far from dead in this country.
In terms of content, I would like to see the same mix really. I like lists so I enjoy your top tens. Also I would have liked your awards for the season.
Maybe southerner would like Sir Rodney and chums back.
They certainly got a handle on match-fixing and no mistake.
Surely it's only been weeks so far?
I like the design Dave, keep up the good work!
No, we are in month two now. Technically that is still weeks so I guess you are both correct.
Anyway, congratulations Dave. This blog has been part of my daily routine for years and to think that I only kept up with snooker on worldsnooker.com before is hard to believe. You have done a fantastic job and I thank you.
Hendon and Hearn: the two shining stars on the night sky of snooker! (perhaps I went a bit overboard on that one)
It's only been five or six weeks. But isn't this "delay" mainly because Higgins and his lawyers were given three weeks to prepare their answers? Don't know if this is true though. Correct me if I'm wrong. But as you, Dave, rightly point out, it is wrong to blame Barry about this "delay".
Well anyway, happy birthday to SSB. Although I have no eye for aesthetics (being a fairly heteroistic man), I like the redesign 'cos it's refreshing. Suits the theme very well and all that.
And, what Barry will do is to eventually maximize the snooker's potential. I'd rather put it this way than go over the top. He truly is the one to deliver, the one and only, I'd say. So exciting times.
Hi Dave,
The re-designed look: did you use a commordore64 to knock it up on?! Looks good!
Glad to say, was here at the start, long may it continue....keep ruffling those snooker feathers!
Thanks, joe
WOW !
The future is sooooo bright -
I gotta wear shades !
Dave - With many more ranking pts
available in 2010/2011,in comparison to previous seasons -
I suppose the 2 year rolling list
was necessary to even the equation
in the meantime.
Maybe by 2012/2013 when the
calendar is more settled &
the number of events has evened out
then that would be a better time
to switch to a 1 year rolling list
with updated seedings.
But,I do understand why the
the 2 year rolling list had to be
used in the newly expanded calendar
....for now.
When the 2 year list eventually
adds in 2 seasons worth of PTC events - Then,that would be
the perfect time to change to
the one-year rolling list.
"Barry's not in charge of the disciplinary process."
_____________________________________
we understand that but it is dragging on a bit now ...i know its better to have things done right rather than rushed but looking at the maguire/burnett situation John could be suspended for 2 years the way things are going.
David Douglas was going to resign if Hearn lost the June 2 vote, so he may have waited for that to be sorted.
Also, have the NOTW given him access to the full tapes (not the edited ones). If not, I'd imagine it would be rather difficult to investigate properly.
Joe - nothing so advanced!
dave
surely if World Snooker did not have the unedited tapes in their hands at the very least 5th of may then NOTW has something to hide and the whole case should be thrown out on that basis.
Didn't say they hadn't, just could be an explanation
Hopefully for everyone's sake it will be sorted soon - I also hope David Douglas looks into various other cases that have been swept under the carpet in recent years
i know you didn't say lol...
im not shooting the messenger.
i also hope every case is outed every player thats even been under the carpet suspicion sorted out and we get snooker so clean the pope would feel dirty lol
The assuming of positions is over,
the runes are set,
the new season will emerge blinking its eyes in the brightest of lights,
the re-birth of the game beckons,
like the old days of Alan Weekes and David Icke,
Men wearing outlandishly silly glasses will dominate again.
The stage is set for a renaissance.
Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Hello Dave lad
Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah. Blah blah blah blah blah, blah blah blah, Mister blah blah blah blah, blah, Joe Davis, blah blah blah,
Blah blah blah, fine fart, blah, blah, blah, old time waltz, blah blah blah blah.
DM
Happy birthday, blog!
David, thank you for Your work. We, the fans of snooker can not imagine a day without your blog.
Green caresses our eyes .))))
That's just the only one - be careful with the predictions of match results.;)
Thank goodness that drab design has gone.
Good work dave. Only been reading this blog for 6 months but it's pretty much the best insider blog in snooker.
Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Hello Dave
Good luck on your new or fresh beginning. Long may the Dave H blog lead the way in the various “Snooker Blogs” and most of all “May the balls run kindly”. Mr Hey You
Is chrisk5s return key stuck? Its irritating enough having to read his thinking out loud rantings about the rankings, but why does he have to move to a new line after a couple of words?
Maybe he thinks it looks cool or individual or spmething but it just looks ridiculous.
Well, uncle Barry shouldn't have said weeks and not months then should he, if it was out of his control.
It's only been weeks so far
I think it was important to stand up and say something firm that showed the watching world that snooker takes these things seriously, unlike the previous board who took three days to issue a proper statement on Maguire v Burnett
i think Barry Hearn's handling of the NOTW Story was spot on and for the first time in 30 years watching snooker man and boy it gave snooker leadership in difficult circumstances.
but he did say it wont take months its been 40 days today since John been suspended the deadline for the PTC 1 is Monday and john wont be in it and non the wiser if his career is over or this is only a blip.
we do need this clarified ASAP and one way or the other so everyone in snooker can move on with Barry as supremo.
I like the design, Dave. Well done!
I'd like to be informed more on what's happening with the corruption scandals. Barry Hearn said that it would take "weeks, not months" to deal with the Higgins bung story.....erm, that was months ago!
The Burnett incident was aeons ago.
It wasn't months ago. It was just over a month ago.
"It wasn't months ago. It was just over a month ago.
___________________________________
yes i think it is still borderline of what Barry said.
There must be a reason for the delay.
Dennis Taylor said on facebook two weeks ago that a result would be given shortly, so either new evidence has come up, or else the official verdict has been witheld from the public to give Higgins and his family time to cope with the onslaught that will inevitably ensue.
Maybe this weekend?
Hacks will be more interested in football than snooker, and tonight or tomorrow would be a good time to minimise adverse publicity that arises from this case.
Obviously what David Douglas should do is just read half-witted opinions on internet forums where people have already made their minds up based on a heavily edited videotape and what a tabloid newspaper has told them to believe
This would be far preferable to a thorough investigation examining all the evidence
i think a month is long enough to examine all the evidence available IF the News of the World has given him anything to go on.
if they haven't why is it taking a month to come to the conclusion the News of the World story is flimsy at best.
when will worldsnooker present point's schedule???
Congratulations on the blog birthday Dave. It's a real challenge to keep things refreshing and vibrant and a 'make over' now and again will always help I reckon. You also need a pretty thick skin sometimes when you put yourself 'out there' for all and sundry. Something that a lot of people forget when they post personal, negative or insulting comments.
But you have the respect of the snooker world and that counts for a lot and you shouldn't be afraid to speak your mind.
All the best for the next four years and hopefully then the sport will be back in it's rightful place at the forefront of our TV screens.
And who knows, perhaps they might have sorted the Higgins affair out by then too...
Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear David H @ 2:36 pm
How are you lad! I hope you don’t mind the “Fine Art” coming in on this “Disciplinary Thread” not to compound it but to do a “Gypsy Rose Lee” forecast.
Nothing will be done! The snooker establishment strongly believes that if you don’t talk about it (The Problem) it will go away.
The John Higgins case with great lawyers will maybe over come on legal technicalities but what about the three other lads alleged “Wrong Doings”?
Snooker the “Fine Art” method wrote to W/S by E mail last year suggesting that the two Scotsmen’s alleged wrongdoers should be “Tried” along with earlier Wrong doers “Xyz”.
The reply by E Mail was an assurance by Elaine Ayres that these people “xyz” were not given permission to do “A B and C”. Mr Hey You
Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Hi Dave
Thanks for the posts lad! You have been very brave! Snooker sadly has been practicing a “Conspiracy of Silence” for many years and naturally the “Membership” is a kind of “Self protection” society against individual blame being recorded.
There is a story here if allowed to be told that would take “The Baggage” out of snooker as the lovely game is not entirely clean, hence the reason why no snooker member can be judged or questioned.
If Dave allows this note through the “Fine Art” would like to explain this is a “Self Protection” exercise not a game of “Whistle Blowing”. Mr Hey You
Well done, Mr Hey You for posting such forthright opinions.
As an aside to the Burnett/Maguire "alleged" match-fixing, their was a story in the Racing Post (and on the Betfair forums) that there is still over £50k in bets to be collected from various bookmakers in Central Scotland. By law, if a bookmaker has to pay-out over a certain amount (varies from shop to shop) a cheque can be issued rather than cash settlement. Obviously, cheques can be traced, hence the bets remaining unclaimed.
This story has been widely ignored by the snooker authorities in a hope that it'll just go away. Snooker isn't doing itself any favours whatsoever in ignoring these claims. Barry Hearn has to "walk-the-walk" not just "talk-the-talk."
It's been the subject of a police enquiry for over a year
to start with the maguire/burnett issue had sod all to do with Barry Hearn in the first place so amount of time its taken is firmly in the grasp of the police and not World Snooker.
why are some people trying to bash barry hearn with things he has nothing to do with him.
Yeah and it would be completely wrong for World Snooker to intefere in a police enquiry they should only get involved after the verdict
Congratulations and keep it going ;)
Stephen Maguire has only got himself to blame really, if he is innocent. The score was well known in advance so if he was innocent he should have delivered a different score - at 8-3 ahead it would have been no skin off his nose to concede the frame to let the score go to 8-4.
Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear Dave
Thanks for the posts! I think your loyal blog members Dave deserve the truth or the other “Truths” buried and long forgotten.
The first sad reality is that “Professional Snooker” lost its integrity in the mid 19-90s when “Snooker Coaching” became a bigger money spinner than the generous returns from playing the game competitively.
The question that should be asked at any disciplinary trial; is there a “Get Out” precedent here that applies to all “Snooker Wrong Doers” ? Who guards the guard!
Granted the board has punished others without deploying the “Precedent”. Mr Hey You
Snooker © The Fine Art Method
A secret is wasted if not shared
Dear Betty Logan, Hello Dave
How are you both! You are wrong Miz Logan to be “Judge and Jury” in the Mr Maguire case. There was the Johnny Starks running Glasgow long before Marlon Brandon was born and most Scots are partial to a wee flutter.
Personally Betty I would rather have the Mafia in far away Russia with harsh threaten words than the church going friends acknowledged regularly in the Glasgow super markets.
The game of Snooker will never die Betty but the professional side of the game became “Tainted” so started badly and then fell away.
The game needs the “True Confessions” Betty that you asked of Stephen Maguire. Mr hey you
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