tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post1140624866477683045..comments2024-02-03T12:04:16.336+00:00Comments on SNOOKER SCENE BLOG: MAGUIRE IN FORM FOR CRUCIBLEDave Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037719321756898982noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-2350476906883781382008-04-05T21:07:00.000+01:002008-04-05T21:07:00.000+01:00Agree with the first post. With the way the calend...Agree with the first post. With the way the calender previously worked, a good run in the tournament leading upto the World Championship could be seen as a double gilted sword, as having only one week of 'recovery' could be a problem, especially mentally. Now, although the players have to adjust from coming back from China, the three weeks provide ample opportunity for recovery.<BR/><BR/>Stephen certainly has the game to be a World Champion. He has, on occassion, been let down by his concentration and maturity. He has a good run to the semis this year, and if he can lay aside the ghosts of last year then, who knows?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-60698209805516983652008-04-03T12:37:00.000+01:002008-04-03T12:37:00.000+01:00I would love to see Maguire win it but Murphy will...I would love to see Maguire win it but Murphy will sadly. He won the 190th, 200th ranking event and this will be the 210th. The only time Parrott missed out on the Crucible was 2005 when Murphy won it and will again miss it this year. Wales rugby team won the grand slam in 2005 and have done it again in 2008. Histroy always repeats itself, just ask ABBA.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-84803650349214167332008-04-03T10:18:00.000+01:002008-04-03T10:18:00.000+01:00A good call, David. Last year many of my friends l...A good call, David. Last year many of my friends looked at me as if I had gone mad when I told them after the China Open that Maguire would be the man to beat at the Crucible. It was just my intuition: at that time, I felt that he was just about to return to the winning ways. It was close, he could have easily been in the final (remember when he lost a frame in the third session by going in-off on the final black?). Eventually, of course, Selby stole the limelight with his superb effort. In the past Jimmy White and Matthew Stevens were considered the best players never to win the world championship. The same can be also said of Stephen. He definitely has the talent and the ability to lift the trophy. It's a shame that he is underestimated, and again and again written off beforehand. I sincerely hope that he will prove his critics wrong. Regards, GabrielAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-52667186047177406682008-04-02T20:02:00.000+01:002008-04-02T20:02:00.000+01:00nice post David and good prediction. If Maguire do...nice post David and good prediction. If Maguire does not let his head drop when things go not too well he has a chance. I suspect that over the years a big reason for the player winning the previous tournament not winning Sheffield was lack of recovery time when there was only a week in between.This year this does not apply. As a crucible attender since 1983 I would be surprised if a first time finalist took the title (it has happened but rarely) as nerves play a strange role and snooker at the crucible seems a different game to snooker anywhere else! I feel that the old establishment of former champions Williams, Ebdon, Hendry and Doherty should not be written off too lightly - I expect Ebdon and Doherty to far exceed many peoples expectations. John HAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com