Sports abandoning lifelong fans!!

[The Hallucinating Goose]

The prink that is Shaun Murphy wants to make loads of changes to snooker.

Only change I want is to get rid of Murphy. He's like a moaning little spoiled brat! Oh no, I can't win under the current rules so instead of practicing and getting better I just want the ruled changed to make the game easier!!

This genuinely angers me, it really does. The flukes, the misses, the time taken for players to stand and intelligently work out how to solve the problem in front of them, these are just some of the elements of our great sport that make it far more entertaining! But no, let's water the game down and make it more boring says Murphy.

The reason this angers me is I have been a snooker obsessive since I was a little kid. It is by far my biggest love and passion. For example, I am going on holiday this week and have actually scheduled my itinerary around watching the tour championship. That is how important snooker is to me, I've decided how long it will take to see certain sights so I can get back to the hotel to watch the tour championship!! 

If the game was watered down, as I say it would be far, far more boring and it breaks my heart to say this but I would have to stop watching. This genuinely upsets me to say but I would have to stop watching! This happened with Formula 1. I used to love F1 but when loads of technologies were brought in that made the racing easier and less skilled, such as DRS and kers (I think that's how you spell it) and races stopped being held in the traditional, historical and more iconic circuits in favour of boring, modern circuits built in oil rich nations that had just bribed the F1 authorities, I had to stop watching. I really don't want this to happen with snooker and it scares me to think it is going that way. 

Sportswashing is just another word for heartbreak... sorry for the rant but I feel so passionate about this subject. Please don't abandon your lifelong fans!

Edited March 28, 2025 by The Hallucinating Goose

[17 stone giant]

What changes does he want to make?

[The Hallucinating Goose]

2 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

What changes does he want to make?

1. He wants a shot clock. 

One of the attractive elements of snooker for us lifelong fans is players stopping and actually studying the table and working out in what order to take the balls, doing the mental maths to see what they could take or need to take. Problem solving. If a shot clock was brought in it would take all that away and just cause players to rush and make mistakes. There is a tournament called the snooker shootout that uses a shot clock and it's a joke of a competition, a lot of top players don't even bother entering it.

2. He wants the cue ball to be spotted.

Why? What is wrong with the cue ball as it is now? Players use spotted balls in practice so they can observe the screw they are getting on their shots but why do you need that when you're playing a competitive match if you know what you're doing is right?

3. He wants to scrap the miss rule. 

The miss rule is one of the most entertaining elements of snooker. A player trying to get out of a hard snooker and having to try a number of times because the snooker is very good and they can't handle that. Again, stop and observe the table and work the problem out before just rushing into it! Often players will find themselves stuck in a snooker because their opponent messed up their own shot and fluked the snooker; Murphy says this rewards players for bad shots, I say it just adds another exciting element to the match, a completely unexpected and surprising element.

4. When a player fouls, he wants the opponent to be able to restart from anywhere on the table, as opposed to just in the D. That would just make it ridiculously easy, taking away so, so much of the competitive element.

 

Basically the changes he wants to make will really water down the competitiveness and just about completely eliminate the intelligent side to the game with the problem solving element gone. Basically he wants to make the game a lot easier.

These changes will basically make every tournament into the Snooker Shootout I mentioned that lifelong fans think is a joke and top players don't even take seriously.

Like I say, I almost have a tear in my eye saying this but if these changes were to be made then this lifelong fan would have to stop watching. 

Edited March 28, 2025 by The Hallucinating Goose

[graveyard johnny]

3 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

What changes does he want to make?

he wants the referee to wear one of those ostrich costumes made famous by Bernie Clifton and when the players take too long to make a shot it bites them on the backside as they are bending over the table 

[17 stone giant]

52 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

1. He wants a shot clock. 

2. He wants the cue ball to be spotted.

3. He wants to scrap the miss rule. 

4. When a player fouls, he wants the opponent to be able to restart from anywhere on the table, as opposed to just in the D.

I'm not keen at a first glance, but I do understand the need to evolve and maybe some or all of those ideas could be tried out at certain tournaments.

I've seen a bit of the event that has a shot clock and I hated it, but I'm happy for it to be used for some events if that's what most people enjoy. Surely there are enough events that you can have slightly different rules for some.

Maybe they need to bring back Big Break with Shaun Murphy as the modern day John Virgo. He can come up with as many fun ideas as he likes for that.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

30 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

I'm not keen at a first glance, but I do understand the need to evolve and maybe some or all of those ideas could be tried out at certain tournaments.

I've seen a bit of the event that has a shot clock and I hated it, but I'm happy for it to be used for some events if that's what most people enjoy. Surely there are enough events that you can have slightly different rules for some.

Maybe they need to bring back Big Break with Shaun Murphy as the modern day John Virgo. He can come up with as many fun ideas as he likes for that.

Yeah, the tournament with the shot clock, the Snooker Shootout, has a shot clock and each match is just a single frame. It was first played in the 70s (I think) and disappeared before being brought back about 15 years ago.

As I say, most lifelong, traditional fans hate it and a lot of top players don't even play in it which is why everyone thought it was an absolute joke when it was made a ranking event a few years ago. Most matches in it tend to just be won by complete luck, a player fluking a shot or missing a shot from rushing and their opponent swooping in. There is none of the intelligent element to the sport in this tournament at all.

It was originally classified as a non-ranking varient format event. It wasn't so bad when it didn't affect the world rankings and was specifically stated as being a varient of the regular game.

We can't have every tournament be turned into this circus though. We're already selling out the game to the Middle East and the money men like so many other sports have done. I was ready to pluck myself a few years ago when people started talking about moving the World Championships away from the Crucible. It's one of the most iconic venues in British sport, it would be like closing Lord's or Centre Court at Wimbledon or blowing up Wembley or something. Yeah the Crucible is a small venue in terms of capacity and arena floor space but it also has all the history and aura and atmosphere that that brings.

The Saudi Masters was played for the first time this year and had the same prize money and ranking points as the World Championship and because of that some people in the game started calling it the 4th major before even being played once in a soulless, characterless box of an arena that is far too big and empty because the very few Saudis that went didn't know what they were seeing, didn't have any interest in it and spent the whole time just playing on their phones. I'm not exaggerating, if you see footage of that tournament you'll see the couple of members of the crowd on their phones the whole time.

But money talks unfortunately and snooker has sold out to said money... 

Edited March 28, 2025 by The Hallucinating Goose

[gingerjon]

Dotted cue ball is an excellent idea.

Not a shot clock but happy for the refs to be compelled to sanction players deliberately slowing play down.

No need to change the miss rule.

The restart is fine as it is.

[Gerrumonside ref]

Quite big changes being suggested by Murphy.

I find the pace of snooker relaxing to watch like cricket and golf.

Always thought it’s a strategic and also tactical battle at a different pace from other things I appreciate.

Would hate to see that spoiled by gimmicks.

[Padge]

Sports change rules/laws usually because a player or coach has found a way to exploit existing rules/laws. Snooker has pretty much very firm rules that can't be exploited (bent).

If he wants change he could set up a new tournament with his rules.

[bobbruce]

8 minutes ago, Padge said:

Sports change rules/laws usually because a player or coach has found a way to exploit existing rules/laws. Snooker has pretty much very firm rules that can't be exploited (bent).

If he wants change he could set up a new tournament with his rules.

To be fair it is in response to players exploiting the rules. Generally the modern players are more attacking and tend to play at a high tempo. Some players have realised that deliberately slowing play down can frustrate some players. 

[Futtocks]

20 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

1. He wants a shot clock. 

One of the attractive elements of snooker for us lifelong fans is players stopping and actually studying the table and working out in what order to take the balls, doing the mental maths to see what they could take or need to take. Problem solving. If a shot clock was brought in it would take all that away and just cause players to rush and make mistakes. There is a tournament called the snooker shootout that uses a shot clock and it's a joke of a competition, a lot of top players don't even bother entering it.

2. He wants the cue ball to be spotted.

Why? What is wrong with the cue ball as it is now? Players use spotted balls in practice so they can observe the screw they are getting on their shots but why do you need that when you're playing a competitive match if you know what you're doing is right?

3. He wants to scrap the miss rule. 

The miss rule is one of the most entertaining elements of snooker. A player trying to get out of a hard snooker and having to try a number of times because the snooker is very good and they can't handle that. Again, stop and observe the table and work the problem out before just rushing into it! Often players will find themselves stuck in a snooker because their opponent messed up their own shot and fluked the snooker; Murphy says this rewards players for bad shots, I say it just adds another exciting element to the match, a completely unexpected and surprising element.

4. When a player fouls, he wants the opponent to be able to restart from anywhere on the table, as opposed to just in the D. That would just make it ridiculously easy, taking away so, so much of the competitive element.

 

Basically the changes he wants to make will really water down the competitiveness and just about completely eliminate the intelligent side to the game with the problem solving element gone. Basically he wants to make the game a lot easier.

These changes will basically make every tournament into the Snooker Shootout I mentioned that lifelong fans think is a joke and top players don't even take seriously.

Like I say, I almost have a tear in my eye saying this but if these changes were to be made then this lifelong fan would have to stop watching. 

I'm not even a fan of Snooker, but all of those proposed changes seem like very bad ideas to me.

[gittinsfan]

Absolutely no reason or these rule changes,the game is fine as it is.

Personally I prefer watching a 20-30 minute safety exchange to a 100 + break.But that's just me.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

3 minutes ago, gittinsfan said:

Absolutely no reason or these rule changes,the game is fine as it is.

Personally I prefer watching a 20-30 minute safety exchange to a 100 + break.But that's just me.

I'm the same as you and I think that's the case with a lot of snooker fans.

[Padge]

1 hour ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

I'm the same as you and I think that's the case with a lot of snooker fans.

If they want a faster high points game play billiards.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

8 minutes ago, Padge said:

If they want a faster high points game play billiards.

Like I said as well, a faster snooker tournament like Murphy wants already does exist and no one in the game takes it seriously.

[17 stone giant]

23 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

I was ready to pluck myself a few years ago when people started talking about moving the World Championships away from the Crucible. It's one of the most iconic venues in British sport, it would be like closing Lord's or Centre Court at Wimbledon or blowing up Wembley or something.

But those venues have changed massively over the years. Wembley the most, obviously, since it has been completely rebuilt, but Lords has changed loads and the Centre Court has had a roof added etc.

I think eventually (probably in the next 10 years) the World Championships will have to move from The Crucible, unless it can be rebuilt in a way that is more fitting for the modern era. Maybe it can be moved to a new, purpose built, venue in Sheffield, so as to keep the history within the city.

I personally don't have a problem with it moving from The Crucible. It's progress. This year Everton fans will be saying goodbye to Goodison Park - like many other football fans have already done with regards to their traditional stadiums. I will always love The Dell, but it was time to move or build something for the modern era. If The Crucible can't do that for snooker, I would be in favour of moving.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

2 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

But those venues have changed massively over the years. Wembley the most, obviously, since it has been completely rebuilt, but Lords has changed loads and the Centre Court has had a roof added etc.

I think eventually (probably in the next 10 years) the World Championships will have to move from The Crucible, unless it can be rebuilt in a way that is more fitting for the modern era. Maybe it can be moved to a new, purpose built, venue in Sheffield, so as to keep the history within the city.

I personally don't have a problem with it moving from The Crucible. It's progress. This year Everton fans will be saying goodbye to Goodison Park - like many other football fans have already done with regards to their traditional stadiums. I will always love The Dell, but it was time to move or build something for the modern era. If The Crucible can't do that for snooker, I would be in favour of moving.

My main problem with moving away from The Crucible would be the inability to recreate the famous atmosphere. The players talk about it being completely unique and so tense and intimidating. It all just adds to the prestige of the World Championship.

And we see this change with the building of new venues, Wembley being the best example. New Wembley has no atmosphere whatsoever and it's so big you're so far from the pitch and can barely concentrate on the match. This is another thing unique about the Crucible, it's a small venue but that just adds to the atmosphere because the crowd is so close to the players, again adds to the intimidating factor that they are right on top of the players.

It would be impossible to recreate that atmosphere. I believe people have looked at how the Crucible could be expanded and potential plans have been drawn up in the past. Unfortunately you're probably right and the World Championship will be moved away from the Crucible but if it does my one demand is that it stays in this country. I might be able to at least accept it in China now there's a good 20 years of snooker history there but I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 years we're watching the World Championship in Dubai... 

[gingerjon]

10 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

And we see this change with the building of new venues, Wembley being the best example. New Wembley has no atmosphere whatsoever and it's so big you're so far from the pitch and can barely concentrate on the match.

The new Wembley is a pretty poor stadium but it has plenty of atmosphere. The old Wembley was also a mostly rubbish stadium, the bizarrely distanced shallow seats in the lower bowl for example, but looked good with the towers.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

44 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

The new Wembley is a pretty poor stadium but it has plenty of atmosphere. The old Wembley was also a mostly rubbish stadium, the bizarrely distanced shallow seats in the lower bowl for example, but looked good with the towers.

Yeah, to be fair the only time I have been to New Wembley was for the 2017 Challenge Cup final when there was 20,000 empty seats and half the fans in there were Wigan fans so the atmosphere will have been negatively impacted by that.

Edited March 30, 2025 by The Hallucinating Goose

[ivans82]

The only thing i miss from the old Wembley was the Teams emerging from the tunnel and walking to  half way  to line up . A bit of proper theatre .

[Griff]

On 28/03/2025 at 17:47, The Hallucinating Goose said:

 

2. He wants the cue ball to be spotted.

 

Surely it's quite easy to spot the cue ball.

It's the white one.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

I was reminded of another thing Murphy had mentioned, players nipping out of the arena mid session not just at the official intervals.

I was reminded of that this afternoon when I was watching Murphy being absolutely destroyed by Barry Hawkins and Murphy headed out of the arena to clear his head at one point. I also thought about his objections when he found himself in a tricky situation at one point and spent over 2 minutes stood studying the table. 

Funny how he's against these things but when it can benefit him he's happy to make use of them.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

4 minutes ago, Griff said:

Surely it's quite easy to spot the cue ball.

It's the white one.

With how poorly Murphy was playing this afternoon, I think he could do with spotted pockets so he can find them.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

10 minutes ago, Griff said:

Surely it's quite easy to spot the cue ball.

It's the white one.

Seriously though on that point, I really don't see what benefit that would be. Players use spotted balls in practice to see if they have got the correct spin, swerve or screw on the cue ball but it doesn't actually change the cue ball at all in terms of the way it runs so as long as he's practiced enough, he shouldn't need it in the competitive environment. By saying he wants a spotted ball in the match suggests he doesn't think he has practiced enough; well that's his problem not every other players'

Edited March 31, 2025 by The Hallucinating Goose

[Griff]

I'm not a snooker fan but we once had a cat who loved it. The mere sound of the balls clicking against one another would bring her out to sit in front of the tv and watch intently. Then, as the balls moved around the screen, she'd try to catch them. So funny.