Yes, after so long, with so many contributions, some of them stunning, some of them lacklustre, but nearly all of them memorable, it's sad to see the day arrive at last.
For a long time there's been a feeling that perhaps it would be better if he took more of a backseat sometimes, and his continued presence grew perhaps a bit embarrassing, but nonetheless, he was respected for all his abilities.
A sad day.
Still, at least he will still be doing the commentary, so his official retirement has a bright spot.
Thanks for the memories, Steve Davis.
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I didn't know that. Maybe he could go and do F1 instead of the annoying bloke that Channel 4 specifically recruited for knowing nowt about it.
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>> I didn't know that. Maybe he could go and do F1 instead of the annoying
>> bloke that Channel 4 specifically recruited for knowing nowt about it.
>>
All you need to know about F1 is the length of the procession :-(
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Snooker players tend to hang on long past their sell by date. Steve Davis looked a bit of an embarrassment at times during the last decade, his game had slowed considerably and he became a bit of an easy touch.
I'm glad he is still involved in commentary, he is one of the most insightful analysts in any sport and you always feel like you've learnt something from him. Unlike "Where's the cue ball going, WHERE'S THE CUE BALL GOING?" John Virgo - mostly when it is going to miss the pocket by a foot or so.
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>> "Where's the cue ball going, WHERE'S THE CUE BALL GOING?" John Virgo - mostly when
>> it is going to miss the pocket by a foot or so.
John is a character but not sure about his judgement sometimes. Only this afternoon, Ricky Walden was playing, John made a joke (not even a good one), and these days of course the audience are all tuned into the commentary. So they laughed, and Ricky then fluffed the shot.
Not good. JV must be aware the audience are listening.
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F1 gets a very poor review in the editorial of this week's Auto Express.
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Steve Davis was one of the best snooker players that will ever grace the game.
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Top player a bit robotic..Alex Higgins with his flamboyant style of play used to be great to watch.
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I think he was in his day, Fluffy, as he was of a higher standard than his contemporaries at the time.
But if he were at his best today, he wouldn't be winning. The game has moved on a lot since his techniques were winning ones.
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I watched B.B.C.2 and witnessed Steve Davis announce his retirement from snooker.
What a snooker player.
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The main point about Steve Davis, John Higgins, Alex Higgins, Ronnie O'Sullivan et al is that each managed, despite the fact that many, many millions of people throughout the world play snooker on a regular basis, to raise it to a an even higher plane.
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Steve Davis credited the BBC with a major role in promoting snooker.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sun 17 Apr 16 at 20:28
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It was showing snooker on television that began the boom.
It began with Pot Black in the 1970s.
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Great to see Alan Mcmanus doing so well today, and getting through the second round. One of those few sports where you can still do great things decades after you start.
Golf is another, I guess. I don't know anything about darts or cribbage though.
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Loved watching Alex Higgins play - such a tallent from someone who started playing later and almost got into it by accident.
If he had been a clean living chap like Davis then I think he could have out played anyone
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I once arranged to interview a then young Alex Higgins at the Elite Club in Accrington after he had finished his morning practice session.
Whilst I was waiting he notched up two 147 breaks with consummate ease....:-)
The finest "cutter" of a cue ball the game has ever seen.
Last edited by: Stuartli on Mon 18 Apr 16 at 12:11
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>> It was showing snooker on television that began the boom.
>>
>> It began with Pot Black in the 1970s.
>>
A lot of the credit must go to Alex Higgins who became something of a folk hero in the game.
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I bet the Dutch referee Jan is proud to be part of snooker.Jan is from Rotterdam but he never was a top snooker player.I remember that time in Rotterdam when billiards was populair,big game by the Belgians.
Boring in comparrision with snooker do.Jan stands 6.5 Big lad doesn't stand for any nonsense.
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The best matches were the odd ones, like Alex Higgins v Eddie Charlton. Alex would be chomping at the bit and probably doing something unspeakable with a pot plant in the background, and Eddie would be thinking for fifteen minutes before taking a shot and missing. And Len Ganley would be refereeing and Ted Lowe would be saying "oh, and that's awkward cueing" and frankly, all would be right with the world.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Sun 17 Apr 16 at 21:14
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A match between Charlton and Doug Mountjoy, both very slow players, was described the battle of the undead.
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Even that is better than watching cricket.
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>> Even that is better than watching cricket.>>
You clearly didn't watch the T20 final between England and the West Indies or, indeed, the games played up to that stage.....
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T20 is not proper cricket.
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>>T20 is not proper cricket. >>
Not to the purists but, on the other hand, it's fast, exciting and gripping and that attracts many people to the sport who wouldn't normally take any interest...:-)
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>> Steve Davis credited the BBC with a major role in promoting snooker.>>
Well obviously Pot Black played a key role (it was originally launched when colour TV was introduced in 1969 as a means of highlighting colours!!), but the point I made, if you are referring to my comment, were the ever increasing performance standards brought to the game by such snooker players.
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For those of you watching in black and white, the pink ball is just behind the green. God bless Ted Lowe.
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Another gem was that Ted told viewers that Fred Davis, struggling to rest one leg on the edge of the table in order to reach a long shot, "is getting on a bit and is having trouble getting his leg over."
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>> Another gem was that Ted told viewers that Fred Davis, struggling to rest one leg
>> on the edge of the table in order to reach a long shot, "is getting
>> on a bit and is having trouble getting his leg over."
>>
The actual comment was, "And Fred, too old to get his leg over is using his left hand instead".
A myth I believe, along with the "For those watching in black and white..." one.
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>>The actual comment was, "And Fred, too old to get his leg over is using his left hand instead".
>>
Well in actual fact you'll find some of Ted's quotes vary quite considerably, according to which source you obtain them...:-)
In this link:
www.inspiringquotes.us/author/2080-ted-lowe
it's: “Fred Davis, the doyen of snooker, now 67 years of age and too old to get his leg over, prefers to use his left hand.â€
But don't let any of the variations spoil a good story..:-)
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>> I watched B.B.C.2 and witnessed Steve Davis announce his retirement from snooker.
>>
>> What a snooker player.
>>
I thought somebody said he'd gone...... >:(
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Snooker's all very well for an hour or two, preferably in the flesh rather than on TV.
I was never much good at it. Too impatient or bored to acquire the fine eye.
My father thought that skill at billiards - or snooker I suppose - was a sign of bad character. It certainly goes with bad hairstyles.
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I enjoy relaxing in my chair watching the afternoon snooker.
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>> I enjoy relaxing in my chair watching the afternoon snooker.
Me too. I find it far better than counting sheep ;)
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It's on now, it was on yesterday morning and once again I've had to resort to Sky News to avoid it:)
Pat
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I don't mind it, but if Eggheads is cancelled...
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>> I don't mind it, but if Eggheads is cancelled...
Are you an expert on that CS? Because on the odd occasion I catch some of it, I get irritated when I find I can answer more of the Eggheads' questions than the contestants' ie. it seems unfair.
I'll stick with Pointless :)
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It seems to me that the questions are getting easier; they must be, for even I am answering some of them correctly.
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I should hope so. It's multiple choice and there are only three options.
Which team gets which questions, I assume, depends on who goes first. We should be told.
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Well, he's gone - Manatee
