Comments on: Chess with Balls http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/ Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:07:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: The Midnight Court » Blog Archive » Grammar Are On Their Last Leg http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-2566 The Midnight Court » Blog Archive » Grammar Are On Their Last Leg Mon, 29 May 2006 14:00:14 +0000 http://www.fustar.org/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-2566 [...] g"> My old mucker fústar of fústar dot org fame has a top notch post today about the snooker - am watching Hendry and Bond while I jack this cyber missive straight into the matrix [...] […] g”> My old mucker fústar of fústar dot org fame has a top notch post today about the snooker - am watching Hendry and Bond while I jack this cyber missive straight into the matrix […]

]]> By: fústar http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-970 fústar Thu, 20 Apr 2006 16:21:22 +0000 http://www.fustar.org/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-970 I haven't succumbed Martin...which makes keeping up to date with the snooker pretty difficult. It's the one time I miss the telly...but between the internet and my folks' house (just round the corner) I'll manage to stay in touch. Jimmy's out...a sad day. I haven’t succumbed Martin…which makes keeping up to date with the snooker pretty difficult. It’s the one time I miss the telly…but between the internet and my folks’ house (just round the corner) I’ll manage to stay in touch.

Jimmy’s out…a sad day.

]]> By: Martin http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-957 Martin Thu, 20 Apr 2006 09:19:23 +0000 http://www.fustar.org/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-957 Hey fústar, didn't you say before you didn't have telly? Have you succumbed? Just curious... I love telly. And I love watching the snooker on telly... Hey fústar, didn’t you say before you didn’t have telly? Have you succumbed? Just curious… I love telly. And I love watching the snooker on telly…

]]> By: fústar http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-877 fústar Wed, 19 Apr 2006 16:52:42 +0000 http://www.fustar.org/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-877 Jimmy White appears to be struggling in his opening round match (currently 3-5 behind). Time for the "GOO AWN JIM-MAY" brigade to get behind him. <strong> Update 6.15 p.m:</strong> He's now 3-6 down overnight... Jimmy White appears to be struggling in his opening round match (currently 3-5 behind). Time for the “GOO AWN JIM-MAY” brigade to get behind him.

Update 6.15 p.m: He’s now 3-6 down overnight…

]]> By: fústar http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-876 fústar Wed, 19 Apr 2006 16:24:01 +0000 http://www.fustar.org/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-876 She's cheery and knowledgeable to be sure...but...I dunno. Maybe it's the irritatingly chummy way she calls John Parrott 'JP' all the time, maybe it's her tepid banter with 'the lads'...but something grates. I agree that they should bring that lovely David Icke back though. He was a character. "So tell the national audience watching <em>right now</em> Steve. When were you first approached by the Bilderberg group and how horrified were you when you first saw that giant owl?!" She’s cheery and knowledgeable to be sure…but…I dunno. Maybe it’s the irritatingly chummy way she calls John Parrott ‘JP’ all the time, maybe it’s her tepid banter with ‘the lads’…but something grates.

I agree that they should bring that lovely David Icke back though. He was a character.

“So tell the national audience watching right now Steve. When were you first approached by the Bilderberg group and how horrified were you when you first saw that giant owl?!”

]]> By: Fergal http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-867 Fergal Wed, 19 Apr 2006 15:42:41 +0000 http://www.fustar.org/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-867 I rather like Hazel. Cheery yet knowledgable, no? Still though, why can't they just bring back David Icke? Oh.... I rather like Hazel. Cheery yet knowledgable, no?

Still though, why can’t they just bring back David Icke? Oh….

]]> By: fústar http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-866 fústar Wed, 19 Apr 2006 14:55:50 +0000 http://www.fustar.org/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-866 I miss David Vine. Hazel Irvine just isn't the same for me (nothing to do with her being a woman...I just find her annoyingly 'light' and a bit twee). Tony 'Perma Grin' Gubba isn't much of an improvement though... I love the nicknames. "The Sherriff of Pottingham" is a classic, but don't forget John Higgins (The Wizard of Wishaw), Alan 'Angles' McManus, Ken 'Darling of Dublin Town' Doherty, David Gray (The Mighty Atom), and Ronnie O'Sullivan (The Essex Exocet). I miss David Vine. Hazel Irvine just isn’t the same for me (nothing to do with her being a woman…I just find her annoyingly ‘light’ and a bit twee). Tony ‘Perma Grin’ Gubba isn’t much of an improvement though…

I love the nicknames. “The Sherriff of Pottingham” is a classic, but don’t forget John Higgins (The Wizard of Wishaw), Alan ‘Angles’ McManus, Ken ‘Darling of Dublin Town’ Doherty, David Gray (The Mighty Atom), and Ronnie O’Sullivan (The Essex Exocet).

]]> By: Fergal http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-864 Fergal Wed, 19 Apr 2006 13:03:23 +0000 http://www.fustar.org/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-864 My one and only gripe about BBC's World Championship coverage: Why don't they let Hazel Irvine MC the trophy presentation? When David Vine was the regular BBC anchor, he'd always appear out on the floor of the crucible in his tux to deliver the coup de grace. But nowadays, they draft Tony Gubba in to do the job, as if it wouldn't be the same if a man wasn't doing it. Rubbish. I say, let Hazel put on a fancy frock and enjoy her moment in the spotlight. That said, I love the way they've taken to introducing the players by nickname. When that Hamilton guy was introduced on Monday as "The Sherriff of Pottingham", I damn near wept for joy. What are the odds someone will style themselves "Osama Bin Pottin'"? My one and only gripe about BBC’s World Championship coverage: Why don’t they let Hazel Irvine MC the trophy presentation? When David Vine was the regular BBC anchor, he’d always appear out on the floor of the crucible in his tux to deliver the coup de grace. But nowadays, they draft Tony Gubba in to do the job, as if it wouldn’t be the same if a man wasn’t doing it. Rubbish. I say, let Hazel put on a fancy frock and enjoy her moment in the spotlight.

That said, I love the way they’ve taken to introducing the players by nickname. When that Hamilton guy was introduced on Monday as “The Sherriff of Pottingham”, I damn near wept for joy. What are the odds someone will style themselves “Osama Bin Pottin’”?

]]> By: zoidberg http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-862 zoidberg Wed, 19 Apr 2006 08:36:29 +0000 http://www.fustar.org/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-862 Yes indeed there is nothing quite like curling up on the couch with a pot of tea and a couple of slices of well buttered toast to watch the drama that is the world Snooker championships. There is something remarkably comforting about hearing the famous introductory music and the whispered commentary from the likes of John Virgo. Indeed even the crisp sound the balls make when they are potted is somehow reassuring. Also, In no other sport do you get such an intimate knowledge of the protagonists. The intense close-ups of the players give you a deep, and sometimes unnerving, knowledge of every facial blemish and wrinkle they possess. One of the other most appealing aspects of the sport is the relative slow pace at which the action happens. In fact because, at times, the game can be rather uneventful if anything remotely controversial or mildly amusing occurs it is always blown out of all proportion. Over the years there has been controversy over a range of issues including the irregular tables, the mysterious origin of the "kick" as well as the unprecedented breaks of, the incredibly annoying, Quentin Hann. Every year the expert analysts seem to spend hours poring over often trivial yet fascinating aspects of the game, something I lap up with unequivocal glee. Yes indeed there is nothing quite like curling up on the couch with a pot of tea and a couple of slices of well buttered toast to watch the drama that is the world Snooker championships. There is something remarkably comforting about hearing the famous introductory music and the whispered commentary from the likes of John Virgo. Indeed even the crisp sound the balls make when they are potted is somehow reassuring.

Also, In no other sport do you get such an intimate knowledge of the protagonists. The intense close-ups of the players give you a deep, and sometimes unnerving, knowledge of every facial blemish and wrinkle they possess.

One of the other most appealing aspects of the sport is the relative slow pace at which the action happens. In fact because, at times, the game can be rather uneventful if anything remotely controversial or mildly amusing occurs it is always blown out of all proportion. Over the years there has been controversy over a range of issues including the irregular tables, the mysterious origin of the “kick” as well as the unprecedented breaks of, the incredibly annoying, Quentin Hann. Every year the expert analysts seem to spend hours poring over often trivial yet fascinating aspects of the game, something I lap up with unequivocal glee.

]]> By: fústar http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-861 fústar Tue, 18 Apr 2006 22:51:55 +0000 http://www.fustar.org/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-861 Ulster's own <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/4920468.stm">Joe Swail</a> seems particularly aggrieved at the vicissitudes of the green baize in question. <a href="http://www.limerick-leader.ie/issues/20060114/sport01.htm">The Vic's</a> tables do, at least, enjoy a <em>consistent</em> unpredictability... Ulster’s own Joe Swail seems particularly aggrieved at the vicissitudes of the green baize in question. The Vic’s tables do, at least, enjoy a consistent unpredictability…

]]> By: copernicus http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-860 copernicus Tue, 18 Apr 2006 22:39:32 +0000 http://www.fustar.org/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-860 The table seems to be coming in for a lot of criticism. It's not like the Vic eh? The table seems to be coming in for a lot of criticism. It’s not like the Vic eh?

]]> By: fústar http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-859 fústar Tue, 18 Apr 2006 22:08:18 +0000 http://www.fustar.org/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-859 Yes, incredibly Hendry is trailing 6-3 to everyone's favourite snooker-playing accountant, Nigel "Look how grey I am" Bond. If he (Bond) wins there'll be the <em>de rigueur</em> BBC montage of him in a tuxedo, standing beside an Aston Martin DB5. How hilarious... Yes, incredibly Hendry is trailing 6-3 to everyone’s favourite snooker-playing accountant, Nigel “Look how grey I am” Bond.

If he (Bond) wins there’ll be the de rigueur BBC montage of him in a tuxedo, standing beside an Aston Martin DB5. How hilarious…

]]> By: copernicus http://www.fustar.info/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-858 copernicus Tue, 18 Apr 2006 18:35:02 +0000 http://www.fustar.org/2006/04/18/chess-with-balls/#comment-858 Hendry just potted the white straight into the pocket, ho ho. It was like something out of Alice in Wonderland - the white rabbit piling down the hole with nary a backward glance. Table must be a bit fucked. Hendry just potted the white straight into the pocket, ho ho. It was like something out of Alice in Wonderland - the white rabbit piling down the hole with nary a backward glance. Table must be a bit fucked.

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