tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post4294489690754919989..comments2024-02-03T12:04:16.336+00:00Comments on SNOOKER SCENE BLOG: JOHN HIGGINS ACCUSED IN 'BRIBE' STINGDave Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037719321756898982noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-16059832023060870082010-05-05T12:04:40.304+01:002010-05-05T12:04:40.304+01:00Whatever the outcome, the NOTW has actually given ...Whatever the outcome, the NOTW has actually given Barry Hearn the chance to commit to snooker, show how strong his leadership is (which he is clearly demonstrating now) and to clean up snooker for a fresh start over the coming weeks.<br />I was not a fan of his appointment and proposed master plan, especially after some dubious board appointments. (leave you to ponder that one).<br /><br />I have now become a fan after his handling of this situation and his pledge to face things head on and not scurry away.<br /><br />Thing is, in a couple of years, when things have hopefully settled, snooker may actually attract MORE sponsorship and MORE interest, when the general public know that those they are watching are either in it for the love of the sport or just too damn scared to act like a crook and sponsors will have a clean sport for a change to associate themseves with.<br /><br />Believe me....all news is good news, sometimes it just takes a while for the benefits to filter through.<br /><br />I once lost £1,100 cash on a fixed horse race.<br /><br />It was pubicised and proven to have been fixed. <br /><br />Never saw my money again.<br /><br />Would I back a horse tomorrow....sure I would.<br /><br />The future of snooker is bright and while Hearns proposal appears flawed in places, if its the difference of him staying or going, then vote it in players, vote it in.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-39874223642383053672010-05-04T01:53:29.023+01:002010-05-04T01:53:29.023+01:00John Higgins is the reason why i started watching ...John Higgins is the reason why i started watching snooker he is my favourite player and i cant believe what has happened!Even if he is proving innocent people will allways wonder when he loses did he lose on purpose and he only has himself to blame!<br /><br />Sad day for snooker but i hope its good to show other players that they should not be doing this!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-22983359685966539072010-05-03T18:13:33.611+01:002010-05-03T18:13:33.611+01:00Snooker fixed? You must be joking. You'll be t...Snooker fixed? You must be joking. You'll be telling me next that WWE Wrestling is fixed!<br />John Higgins is being declared guilty quicker than an O'Sullivan 147. What happened to innocent until proven guilty - key word here is proven. As another has already posted if John was in fear believing it was the Russian mafia involved and just agreed with everything to get out of there, did he report the attempt to bribe him to the governing body or any other player or official? There is more to come out yet and we must wait for all the evidence. Speculation and condemnation on this blog is as damaging as the alleged offence itself. Higgins says he's innocent. Let us allow him to prove that. If that is the case then he and snooker's governing body should sue the NOTW into oblivion.David Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-47591428695868845552010-05-02T13:29:20.549+01:002010-05-02T13:29:20.549+01:00I would like to give Higgins the benefit of the do...I would like to give Higgins the benefit of the doubt as I cannot believe the world number one and world champion and the most respected modern day player in the game could behave so selfishly and stupidly and risk the hih standing he has in the game. If Higgins and Mooney were genuinely in fear of their lives or if the News of the World heavily edited the footage which is also likely, then fair enough and Mooney has done the right thing by resigning from World Snooker. <br /> If Higgins really is guilty then I hate to say it but he must be banned for life. This from the world no.1 would be the death knell for the game.<br />AlphaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-76204637500856245602010-05-02T12:31:26.766+01:002010-05-02T12:31:26.766+01:00hi dave
what a disaster, is this the end of snook...hi dave<br /><br />what a disaster, is this the end of snooker?<br /><br />for those of you who think higgins Russian mafia has crediblity, you must be totally, utterly stupid. <br /><br />of course, the website/story may have mild elements of exaggeration but there is little or no defence here (not an obvious one anyway)<br /><br />NotW did this to Hann and it is almost as if they just sit there and suck in whoever they like, such is the endemic dishonesty in the sport. <br /><br />make MPs look like saints. <br /><br />Higgons was always squeaky clean and personable<br /><br />either he has amassed huge debts or more likely is just a very very stupid boy, almost a simpleton outside of the table. <br /><br />clearly, there is something in the water in the glasgow area. <br /><br />there's no coming back from this dave, how did you scribes miss this..........NewsBrainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04667082818265414145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-74208137411867697722010-05-02T12:29:55.224+01:002010-05-02T12:29:55.224+01:00It CANNOT be true. Having read the NOTW article a...It CANNOT be true. Having read the NOTW article and watched the video here's what may have happened:<br /><br />1)John and Pat were under threat. This is something that happens in that part of the world: you turn up to meet potential sponsors of a respectable company -you are put under threat and you have to say whatever is necessary to leave the country alive. Think about it -the "potential sponsor" aka NOTW journos stand to make a lot of money out of this -a lot of money! <br />2)the video is clearly edited -how can it stand up as any kind of reliable evidence???<br />3) so let's wait and see what John and Pat have to say about itAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-56602795534809099522010-05-02T11:54:29.897+01:002010-05-02T11:54:29.897+01:00Anon 11.11AM - Good point,if there were a greater ...Anon 11.11AM - Good point,if there were a greater proportion of high pressure ranking events - compared to two-bit invitationals - then the chances of a match fixing scenario would be much reduced.<br /><br />Also,if the bookmakers are taking bets on the 'staged' Davis/Taylor exhibition & almost irrelevant<br />PTC or World Series 'matches'.<br /><br />What next - Taking bets on WWE <br />wrestling ''outcomes''!!<br /><br />All very nice for those with insider knowledge.<br /><br />The strands of corruption are so deeply entrenched in Snooker & other sports - Nothing is a<br />surprise anymore & with the premise<br />that you only know what you are told to believe.<br /><br />Most people are so self-deluded anyway - They don't deserve to know the real truth!CHRISK5noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-52695439300358234862010-05-02T11:39:25.443+01:002010-05-02T11:39:25.443+01:00You can just imagine Dennis Taylor reading out tod...You can just imagine Dennis Taylor reading out today's pulse vote: "So, today's Pulse vote, is snooker fixed?"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-89519788387632012802010-05-02T11:26:55.444+01:002010-05-02T11:26:55.444+01:00Barry Hearn talked about walking away from the spo...Barry Hearn talked about walking away from the sport this morning. We'll have to wait and see what happens when he meets the players next week.<br /><br />I honestly can't see any sponsors coming on board now. If it was a journeyman pro then it can be swept aside, but the world number one and still the current World Champion! Any potential sponsor, especially bookmakers, will not want their names associated with snooker any more.<br /><br />And with no sponsors, we've effectively got a part time professional sport.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-90315016491490601202010-05-02T11:23:13.107+01:002010-05-02T11:23:13.107+01:00WSS events are being pulled into World Snooker and...WSS events are being pulled into World Snooker and will indeed be ranking events as explained in Barry's letter to the players.<br /><br />No positive note here I'm afraidAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-19171623564592819812010-05-02T11:11:06.543+01:002010-05-02T11:11:06.543+01:00On a positive note, at least he wasn't offerin...On a positive note, at least he wasn't offering to throw a frame/match in a world ranking event.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-91756612374567043072010-05-02T11:11:06.544+01:002010-05-02T11:11:06.544+01:00Hi Dave i have wathched the notw video and read th...Hi Dave i have wathched the notw video and read the article and i am gobsmacked at this.I find it difficult to take in that john higgins would be stupdid enough to get involved in something like this.The question is if the world champion and world no 1 is at it then who isnt?I was so looking forward to the final but this has left a sour taste in the mouth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-18559779045958226902010-05-02T10:49:56.142+01:002010-05-02T10:49:56.142+01:00This is completely bizarre - you can understand pl...This is completely bizarre - you can understand players whose careers are on the skids being tempted, but Higgins?Andrew Robertsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-22861809402338232512010-05-02T10:48:14.808+01:002010-05-02T10:48:14.808+01:00I'm pleased that Barry Hearn went on 5 Live...I'm pleased that Barry Hearn went on 5 Live's sportsweek earlier and promised an investigation (as he did in the NOTW piece). I'm also pleased that, as usual, he pulled no punches and didn't rule out a ban for Higgins.<br /><br />I agree with Dave that Higgins and Mooney need to put their side of the argument across and no doubt they will argue their innocence - rightly or wrongly. But without sounding too judgemental the video evidence speaks for itself. <br /><br />Higgins may not have thrown any actual frames but his apparent willingness to do so means he hasn't got a leg to stand on. I can't believe someone of his standing could even think of behaving so selfishly and disgracefully. As for Mooney, all that can be said is that, as Dave has already pointed out, his position is untenable.<br /><br />Hearn must be absolutely seething. As I said, his pledge to an immediate investigation is welcome but his plans to revitalise the sport have taken a major hit through because of the seemingly selfish acts of two people he thought he could trust. Mooney and Higgins were two of his main supporters. Snooker could now be back in the gutter.<br /><br />I also feel very sorry for Neil Robertson and Graeme Dott, two players who have shown a great will to win (and integrity) this week but whose own achievements will now be overshadowed by the Higgins scandal.Devils Advocatenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-51964149630813207112010-05-02T10:45:00.378+01:002010-05-02T10:45:00.378+01:00Joe, where is statement of Barry? Cannot find any....Joe, where is statement of Barry? Cannot find any.Dananoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-76915162026217388262010-05-02T10:18:45.637+01:002010-05-02T10:18:45.637+01:00Dave - You say "this is only the newspaper...Dave - You say "this is only the newspaper's side of things", but have you seen the video? I'm sorry, but it's impossible to come up with an innocent explanation - they were obviously agreeing to take money in return for throwing frames, the fact that it was 'only' the World Series changes nothing. I've lost all my respect for Higgins, and if Barry Hearn is serious about taking the sport forward he HAS to ensure Higgins won't be part of it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-44626714556642393302010-05-02T09:39:32.819+01:002010-05-02T09:39:32.819+01:00I gather Higgins is using the Russian mafia as a r...I gather Higgins is using the Russian mafia as a reason for this. If he told someone at the time, if he is on record somewhere reporting this incident it will greatly strengthen his case.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-26117479425898776922010-05-02T09:39:32.818+01:002010-05-02T09:39:32.818+01:00This has just been a huge misunderstanding! There...This has just been a huge misunderstanding! There have been Eastern European gangsters trying to infiltrate the game for a while now and I imagine Pat Mooney and John went undercover to try and root it out.Betty Logannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-44812073545980809322010-05-02T08:57:50.535+01:002010-05-02T08:57:50.535+01:00I posted a comment to this blog several weeks ago ...I posted a comment to this blog several weeks ago that the sport had about as credibility as cycling and bodybuilding. The comment wasn't published.<br /><br />C'mon, Dave. Let's see if you publish this one!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-26040963612420939642010-05-02T08:52:47.974+01:002010-05-02T08:52:47.974+01:00I know this sounds farfetched but in Russia and Uk...I know this sounds farfetched but in Russia and Ukraine criminal gangs have a lot of power so it is possible that they were in fear.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-18034278852917775112010-05-02T08:40:41.735+01:002010-05-02T08:40:41.735+01:00Imagine if Higgins made it through to the final! O...Imagine if Higgins made it through to the final! Oh man, I hate the British papers.Eurig Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00240684247474655688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-53815470950697457022010-05-02T08:19:24.488+01:002010-05-02T08:19:24.488+01:00It's a variation on the Grobbelaar defence. Th...It's a variation on the Grobbelaar defence. The NOTW have either left themselves open to the biggest libel case ever or this is true. I am inclined to think that this is true.<br /><br />Why would you agree to meet someone in Kiev, who you had met earlier in Scotland if you thought that they were Russian mafia or whatever the defence is. It doesn't stand up.<br /><br />My problem with the Stephen Maguire allegations is I can't see why people would go to a lot of trouble to get a small amount of money. I don't know the figures off hand now but it was small money- and then when you need more than one person to organise a betting coup- the 'slice' of the pie for everyone doesn't look worthwhile. But here the money like with Quinten Hann looks like you might do what you were asked if you were dishonest.<br /><br />It seems that this manager should resign- even if it were not true it is too much of a distraction from the admin of snooker for him to stay and clear his name and be on the board. It also seems that Higgins should go the way of Hann except in this instance I think the ban should be for life. If you are world no 1 then the sanction should be stiffer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-39829895598375428202010-05-02T07:57:11.942+01:002010-05-02T07:57:11.942+01:00The video on the NOTW website is ridiculous. It is...The video on the NOTW website is ridiculous. It is so edited that you really can't say what the discussion was all about, or in what order the different bits and pieces where discussed in. Or what it was they MAYBE agreed on in the "end". Or what was toasted.<br /><br />I am not saying that the story isn't true, but that can't be judged based on the so called evidence on the website. Might as well be a set-up. And this is NOTW, for crying out loud. What a scam.<br /><br />But the sad thing is of course that the damage is pretty much already done.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-51517363869345940492010-05-02T05:11:46.373+01:002010-05-02T05:11:46.373+01:00Caught by the oldest trick in the world: the good ...Caught by the oldest trick in the world: the good old hidden camera...<br /><br />If this is true, i don't see how these guys will be able to deny this. I mean, how stupid can you be?<br /><br />Human nature will never cease to amaze me...<br /><br />Now, who will be the next one to take the dark side of the force path? Roger Federer?Alain (not Robidoux)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29605452.post-60470843134159069262010-05-02T03:13:54.513+01:002010-05-02T03:13:54.513+01:00Well I spent a fair while chatting to Pat Mooney a...Well I spent a fair while chatting to Pat Mooney at the Crucible and I'm very shocked by this. The promised interview with John Higgins is the least of it, the bulk of the conversation centered around the rejigging of the ranking system, and after an in depth conversation I knew the man was on my wavelength about what needed to be done and he had the right ideas to bring to the table which will revitalise the whole qualification/ranking system and make it almost as exciting as tonights match.<br /><br />I hope to god these changes do take effect. I also hope people like our Dave H here don't lose faith in the beautiful game which was demonstrated in it's highest possible caliber this evening with Mark Selby and Graeme Dott playing snooker from the gods.Sonnynoreply@blogger.com